Flag  Raising  at  the  Chester  Shipbuilding  Company 

The  first  step  toward  industrial  Americanization  and  the  development  of  plant  spirit  is  to 
provide  the  right  environment. 


LABOR  MAINTENANCE 

A  Practical  Handbook  of 
Employees'  Service  Work 


By 

DANIEL    BLOOMFIELD 

Of  Bloomfield  and  Bloomfield,  Consultants  in  Employment  Manage- 
ment and  Industrial  Relations;  Author  of  "Employment  Manage- 
ment," "Modern  Industrial  Movements,"  "Problems  of  Labor";  Asso- 
ciate Editor,  "Industrial  Relations,"  "Bloomfield's  Labor  Digest." 


NEW  YORK 
THE  RONALD  PRESS  COMPANY 

1920 


&(> 


Copyright,  1920,  by 
THE  RONALD  PRESS  COMPANY 


All  Rights  Reserved 


To 
MR.  AND  MRS.  A.  LINCOLN  FILENE 


PREFACE 

There  has  long  been  a  need  for  a  book  which  points  the 
way  to  better  methods  in  what  was  once  known  as  "welfare 
work"  and  to  make  clear  the  principles  which  must  underlie 
sound  service  work  with  employees.  The  need  for  a  practical 
handbook  has  also  been  evident ;  and  with  these  needs  in  view 
the  author  has  prepared  the  present  volume. 

The  aim  throughout  has  been  to  give  as  many  practical 
examples  of  successful  work  as  possible,  so  that  employers, 
employment  executives,  and  service  workers  would  have  at 
hand  the  experience  of  other  concerns  combined  with  informa- 
tion and  discussion  as  to  the  best  practice.  Like  other  new 
developments  in  industry,  employees'  service  work  will  have 
to  go  through  the  stages  of  experimentation;  but  there  is  no 
need  for  costly  mistakes  due  to  a  wrong  conception  of  the 
purpose  of  such  work,  and  it  is  in  the  hope  that  this  book 
may  be  of  assistance  in  avoiding  pitfalls  that  it  is  offered  to 
industrial  executives  and  others  interested  in  the  subject. 

The  author  wishes  to  make  grateful  acknowledgment  here 
of  the  generous  assistance  given  him  in  the .  preparation  of 
this  volume  by  Mrs.  Edith  Reider  Barron,  formerly  of  the 
International  Harvester  Company,  Meyer  Bloomfield,  J.  W. 
L.  Hale,  formerly  in  charge  of  apprenticeship  work  of  the 
Pennsylvania  Railroad  and  recently  with  the  Chester  Ship- 
building Company,  who  assisted  in  preparing  Chapter  V;  to 
Frederick  J.  Allen,  author  of  "The  Shoe  Industry"  and  other 
contributions  to  industrial  literature,  and  who  gave  material 
help  in  the  preparation  of  some  of  the  chapters;  to  Albert 


vi  PREFACE 

Pick  and  Company,  for  data  on  employees'  lunchrooms  and 
cafeterias ;  and  to  executives  and  officials  of  various  companies 
who  have  co-operated  with  the  author  in  making  the  informa- 
tion in  this  book  available  to  readers. 

DANIEL  BLOOMFIELD. 
Boston,  Massachusetts, 
September  I,  1920. 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

I   NEED  FOR  SERVICE  WORK  .     ...  v  .......      3 

New  Interpretation  of  an  Old  Problem 
Wastes  Owing  to  Labor  Turnover 
Conditions  in  Metal  Plants 
Magnus  Alexander's  Investigation 
Some  Street  Railway  Figures 
Detroit  Conditions 
Transportation 
Shipbuilding 
Cloak  and  Suit  Trade 
Conditions  in  Milwaukee- 
Factors  in  the  Cost  of  Labor  Turnover 
Subject  Under  General  Study 
Plant  Maintenance  and  Labor  Stability 
Co-operation  of  Worker  and  Management  Necessary 

II   SERVICE  WORK— THE  RIGHT  FOUNDATION 14 

"Welfare  Work  "—Its  Failure 

Workers'  Dislike  of  Being  Patronized 

Organized  Labor  Suspicious 

England — "Welfare  Supervisors  " 

"Trade  Union"  Views 

A_  Better  Name— "  Service  Work  " 

Aims  and  Ideals 

New  Conception  of  Employment 

Service  Work  and  Industrial  Justice 

Service  Work  Good  Business 

A  Constructive  Force — Brings  Co-operation 

Conditions  of  Work  Must  Be  Good 

Wages  Must  Be  Fair 

Properly  Co-ordinated  Effort 

III  THE  EMPLOYEES'  SERVICE  DEPARTMENT — ITS   RELATION  TO 

OTHER  DEPARTMENTS 26 

Proper  Name  for  the  Department 

Service  Department  Includes  Employment 

One  Plan — Executive  Board 

Employment  and  Service  Department 

Plimpton  Press  Plan 

Terminology 

What  "Employment"  Should  Imply 

What  "  Service  "  Should  Imply 

What  the  Department  Should  Be 

vii 


viii  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

In  Large  Concerns — Department  of  Industrial  Relations 
Sometimes  Called  "Labor  Department  " 
Sometimes — "Personnel  Department  " 
Under  Whom  Shall  the  Department  Function? 
General  Manager 
Works  Manager 
Industrial  Relations  Manager 

IV  INTERNAL  ORGANIZATION  or  THE  SERVICE  DEPARTMENT  .     .     42 
Size  of  the  Department 
Office  Organization — System 
Filing  and  Record 
The  Executive  Always  Accessible 
Conferences 

Special  Studies  and  Reports 
Keeping  in  Touch  with  Other  Concerns 
Planning  Activities 
Making  New  Workers  Feel  at  Home 
Instructions  for  "Interviews  " 
Greeting  New  Employees — The  Wrong  Way 
Greeting  Employees — The  Right  Way 
Utilizing  the  Rulebook 
"Follow-up"  Men 
Other  Activities  Outlined 
The  Budget — The  Department's  Estimate 
The  Employer's  Estimate 

V  THE  SERVICE  MANAGER 56 

A  First-rate  Executive  Needed 

General  Qualifications 

Training  and  Experience 

Personality 

Judgment 

Possibilities 

Where  to  Find  the  Man 

Correlation  of  the  Employment  and  Service  Departments 

Duties  of  the  Employment  Manager 

Duties  of  the  Service  Manager 

The  English  Viewpoint 

Duties  Inside  and  Outside  the  Factory 

Inside  Supervision  of  Working  Conditions 

Canteens  for  Workers 

Ambulance,  Restroom  and  First  Aid 

Cloakrooms  and  Sanitary  Conveniences 

Outside  the  Factory 

Personal  Records  of  Employees 

The  Future  of  Service  Work 

VI  BUILDING  UP  A  PLANT  SPIRIT 69 

The  Problem  of  Morale 

Plant  Spirit — Right  and  Wrong 

What  Plant  Spirit  Is 

1 .  Right  Working  Conditions 

2.  Elimination  of  Fear  and  Uncertainty 


• 

CONTENTS  ix 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

Limiting  the  "  Power  of  Discharge  " 
A  Plan  for  Regulating  Discharges 
Employees  Must  be  Treated  Fairly 

3.  The  "  Other  Fellow's  Point  of  View  " 

4.  Self-help  Through  Mutual  Respect 

A  Specific  Instance  of  the  Development  of  Self-help 

5.  Opportunities  for  Advancement 

6.  Enthusiasm  of  Management 
The  Part  of  the  Foreman 

New  Conception  of  the  Foreman's  Job 

The  Stupid  Foreman  a  Handicap 

Reaching  the  Foreman — Labor  Efficiency  Bulletins 

A  Remarkable  Record  of  Plant  Spirit 

VII   TRAINING  THE  WORKER 87 

Need  of  Industrial  Training 

Benefits  of  Training — Efficiency 

Aims  of  Training 

History  of  Trade  Education 

The  Decline  of  Trade  Education 

The  Revival  of  Trade  Education 

Aim  of  the  New  Trade  Education 

Training  for  Every  Worker 

Advantages — Better  Relations 

Advantages — Reduction  of  Labor  Turnover 

Job  Adjustment — Survey 

The  "Job  Adjuster" 

A  Concrete  Example  of  the  Value  of  a  Job  Adjuster 

Apprentice  Schools  as  Selective  Media 

Increased  Training  Means  Increased  Production 

Kinds  of  Industrial  Training 

Mechanical  Trade  Training 

Office  Training 

Emergency  Training 

Determination  of  Method 

Instructors 

Physical  Equipment 

Correlation  of  Shop  and  School 

VIII  SOME  TRAINING  SYSTEMS 104 

Wide  Variety 

The  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company 

The  Brown  and  Sharpe  Plan — Objects 

School  Work 

Requirements  for  Apprenticeship 

The  Cincinnati  Milling  Machine  Company 

The  Simonds  Manufacturing  Company 

The  Larkin  Company 

Goodyear  Tire  and  Rubber  Company — Special  Devices 

The  Factory  School 

The  Western  Electric  Company 

The  Packard  Motor  Car  Company 

The  Wanamaker  Plan 

The  Filene  Plan 


X  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

Other  Plans 
Training  Shipbuilders 
Aids  for  Establishing  and  Conducting  Industrial  Training 

IX  THE  PROBLEM  OF  AMERICANIZATION 121 

The  Influence  of  Foreign-born  upon  Industry 

"Industrial  Americanization  " 

"What  America  Means  " 

Americanization — A  Humanizing  Program 

The  Importance  of  First  Impressions 

Managerial  Attitude — A  Determining  Factor 

The  Right  Attitude 

The  Americanization  Committee 

The  Influence  of  Plant  Spirit 

Getting  Behind  the  Returns 

A  California  Commission 

Report  of  the  Commission 

An  Ohio  Plan 

Emphasis  on  Practical  Results 

The  Scope  of  Americanization  Work 

X  TEACHING  THE  FOREIGNER  OUR  LANGAUGE 135 

The  Importance  of  Teaching  English 

Forming  Classes  for  Study 

Selection  and  Training  of  Teachers 

Fostering  Interest 

The  Problem  of  Attendance 

Language  of  the  Classroom 

Methods  of  Teaching 

Variety  Aids  Greatly 

Drill  in  Grammatical  Expressions 

Work  of  the  Bethlehem  Steel  Corporation 

The  Ford  School 

The  Goodyear  Rubber  Company's  Plan 

Other  Factories  Conducting  Classes 

Co-operation  with  Public  Schools 

Using  Company  Time 

Teaching  English  Pays 

XI  FURTHER  AIDS  FOR  AMERICANIZATION 148 

Study  of  American  Institutions 

Necessity  for  a  Well-balanced  Educational  Plan 

Utilizing  All  Means  of  Approach 

Factory  Activities 

Noon-hour  Meetings 

Plant  Newspapers 

Pay  Envelopes 

Plant  Census 

The  Brown  and  Sharpe  Company's  Work 

Naturalization 

Delaware  Study  of  the  Naturalization  Problem 

Co-operating  with  the  Community 

Assistance  from  Local  Governments 

The  Public  Library 


• 
CONTENTS  xi 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

Assistance  from  Chambers  of  Commerce 

Massachusetts  Department  of  University  Extension  Bulletin 

XII   THE  WORKER'S  HEALTH 164 

The  Conservation  of  Human  Energy 

Benefits  Accruing  to  Industry 

New  Qualities  Required  of  Managers 

Loss  of  Time  from  111  Health,  Accidents,  etc. 

Number  of  Industrial  Accidents 

Effect  Upon  Labor 

New  Conception  of  Health  Work 

Industrial  Medicine — the  First  Phase 

Industrial  Hygiene — the  Second  Phase 

The  Industrial  Physician — a  New  Profession 

Legislation  versus  Voluntary  Action 

XIII  ORGANIZING  A  PLANT  HEALTH  DEPARTMENT 174 

Work  of  the  Health  Department 

Relation  to  the  Plant 

The  Industrial  Clinic  or  Emergency  Hospital 

Equipment  of  Emergency  Hospital 

Minimum  Requirements  of  the  Department 

Personnel  of  the  Department 

Training  the  Industrial  Physician 

Industrial  Nurses 

Course  of  Training  for  Industrial  Nurses 

Work  of  the  Standard  Oil  Company 

The  American  Rolling  Mill  Company 

The  American  Cast  Iron  Pipe  Company 

The  British  Government's  Requirements 

XIV  WORK  OF  THE  PLANT  HEALTH  DEPARTMENT    .     .     .     .     ;  191 

Physical  Examinations 

Objections  and  Difficulties 

Western  Electric  Company 

Avery  Company 

Other  Methods 

Dental  Service 

Operation  of  Dental  Clinics 

National  Cash  Register  Company 

Eye  Treatment 

The  Visiting  Nurse — Her  Qualifications  and  Functions 

Eastman  Kodak  Company 

Training  of  Nurses 

Restrooms  for  Women 

Health  Campaigns 

Training  in  First  Aid 

Physical  Training 

Shower  Baths 

Co-operation  with  Community  Organizations 

XV  THE  WORKER  AT  PLAY — THE  NEED  FOR  RECREATION     .     .  208 

Efficiency  Requires  a  Change  of  Occupation 
Need  for  Recreation 


xii  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

Recreation  and  Working  Power 
Some  Primary  Considerations 
Organized  Play  is  Sound  Business 
Self-directed  Recreation  Best 
Freedom  in  Recreation 
The  Example  of  the  Cities 
Recognition  of  Benefits  of  Recreation 
Employee  Management  of  Recreation 
The  Democracy  of  Play 
The  Alien  in  Recreation 
The  Advantages  of  Athletics 
Motion  Pictures 

Restrooms — Example  of  Eastern  Manufacturing  Company 
Clubhouses — Work  in  Mining  Camps  and  Steel  Plants 
Recreational  Possibilities  of  the  Clubhouse 
The  Company  Park 
The  Country  Club 
Music  as  Recreation 

XVI   THE  WORKER  AT  PLAY — METHODS  OF  RECREATION      .     .222 
Scope  of  the  Chapter 

The  Wagner  Electric  Manufacturing  Company 
Interdepartment  Games 
The  United  States  Steel  Corporation 
The  Bush  Terminal 
The  Pennsylvania  Railroad  System 
The  National  Cash  Register  Company 
Sears,  Roebuck  and  Company 
The  Curtis  Publishing  Company's  Country  Club 
The  Brass  Band 
Operating  Expenses 
Organization  and  Practice 

Other  Musical  Activities — Their  Influence  upon  Morale 
Some  Company  Organizations 
Glee  Club  of  Metropolitan  Life 

Choral  Society  of  Strawbridge  and  Clothier  Company 
Dramatics 

Suggestions  for  "Putting  On"  a  Play 
A  Final  Word 

XVII   ACCIDENT  PREVENTION — SAFETY  WORK 236 

Place  of  Safety  Work  in  Labor  Maintenance 

Safety  Work  Pays 

Reduced  Accident  Frequency 

Decreased  Compensation  Liability 

National  Safety  Council  Statistics 

Duties  of  the  Management 

Duties  of  the  Foreman 

The  Workmen's  Committee 

Duties  of  the  Safety  Engineer 

Monthly  Record  Sheet  for  Accidents 

Safety  Specifications  for  New  Equipment 

Suggested  Plans  for  Organization 

The  Eastman  Kodak  Company's  Organization 


CONTENTS  xiii 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

The  United  States  Steel  Corporation's  Plan 
Interesting  the  Worker  in  Safety 
Safety  Meetings 

Other  Means  of  Fostering  Interest 
The  Avery  Company's  Campaign 
An  Accident  Prevention  Score-board 
Development  of  Self-control 

XVIII   DEVELOPING  A  SUGGESTION  SYSTEM 259 

A  Suggestion  System  as  an  Investment 

The  Influence  of  Managerial  Attitude 

"Selling  "  the  Idea  to  Managers 

The  Right  Foundation 

Stimulating  the  Employee's  Interest 

Dangers  of  Mechanical  Management 

Tapping  a  Reserve  of  Energy 

The  Eastman  Kodak  Company's  Plan 

Awards  for  Suggestions 

The  National  Cash  Register  Company's  Plan 

Method  of  Handling  Suggestions 

Prizes  for  Six  Months'  Suggestion  Contests 

Other  Suggestion  Systems 

A  Good  Suggestion  Well  Worth  its  Cost 


XIX   THE  EMPLOYEES'  LUNCHROOM  AND  RESTAURANT     .     .     .  275 
Importance  of  Food  upon  Labor  Maintenance 
Findings  of  British  War  Ministry 
A  Good  Business  Policy 
The  Pierce- Arrow  Company 

The  National  Cash  Register  Company's  Lunchroom 
Commonwealth  Steel  Company's  Plan 
Further  Lunchroom  Plans 
Percentage  of  Employees  Using  Restaurant 
Cost  and  Selling  Prices 
Farming  Out  Restaurant  Privileges 
Method  of  Service — Cafeteria  or  Serving  Counter 
Essential  Requirements  of  a  Successful  Restaurant 
Equipment 

Kind  and  Quality  of  Food 
Effective  Menus 

XX   THE  PLANT  NEWSPAPER  OR  MAGAZINE .291 

A  Medium  of  Intercommunication 
Means  of  Stimulating  Production 
Giving  Personality  to  the  Concern 
Elements  of  a  Successful  Paper 
The  Paper's  "Make-up" 
The  News  Element 
Date  of  Issue — Distribution 
Special  Features 
A  Few  Successful  Plant  Papers 
The  Editorial  Staff  and  its  Work 
Functions  of  the  Editor 
Editorial  Conferences 


xiv  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

Functions  of  the  Business  Manager 

Financing  the  Paper 

The  Question  of  Advertising 

XXI  THE  HOUSING  PROBLEM — IMPORTANCE 306 

The  Housing  Problem 

Good  Housing  Versus  High  Labor  Turnover 

Importance  of  Housing  Taught  by  the  War 

Industrial  Housing  in  England  During  the  War 

Industrial  Housing  in  the  United  States  in  War  Time 

Results  of  Inadequate  Housing 

Report  of  the  Housing  Corporation 

Frederick  Law  Olmsted's  Views 

Housing  Development  of  United  States  Shipping  Board 

The  Importance  of  Housing  in  Peace  Times 

Good  Housing  and  Health 

Suggestions  for  Proper  Housing 

XXII   THE  HOUSING  PROBLEM — WHAT  TO  Do 321 

The  Duty  of  Industry  as  to  Housing 

Fairbanks  Morse  Company's  Plan 

Housing  Betterment  in  Maine 

The  Clark  Equipment  Company 

The  General  Motors  Corporation 

Aiding  Employees  to  Purchase 

Method  of  Payment  on  Dwellings 

A  Unique  Development 

The  Goodyear  Tire  and  Rubber  Company 

The  Firestone  Tire  and  Rubber  Company 

The  Gary  Plan 

Indian  Hill 

Other  Noteworthy  Efforts 

Further  Instances 

Housing  the  Unmarried  Worker 

The  Real  Estate  Bureau  and  Room  Registry 

Separate  Housing  Corporation — The  Best  Method 

How  to  Go  About  It 

XXIII   FINANCIAL  AIDS — MUTUAL  BENEFIT  ASSOCIATIONS        .     .  339 
The  Elimination  of  Uncertainty  as  to  the  Future 
Methods  of  Providing  for  the  Future 
The  Nature  and  Growth  of  Mutual  Associations 
Chief  Forms  of  Benefits 
How  the  Employer  Can  Help 
The  Basis  of  a  Successful  Organization 
Procedure  in  Organizing 
Sound  Financial  Policy 
Types  of  Organization 
The  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Plan 
Classes  of  Membership 
The  Relief  Department 
The  Bridgeport  Brass  Company 
The  Plan  in  Operation 


CONTENTS  XV 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

Benefits 

The  Visiting  Committee 

The  White  Motor  Company 

An  Excellent  Plan 

The  American  Chain  Company 

The  General  Electric  Company 

An  Unusual  Type  of  Plan 

The  Pennsylvania  Agricultural  Works 

The  Dodge  Mutual  Relief  Association 

Co-operative  Associations — Employees 

Aid  from  Employers 

Saving  Funds 

Selling  Stock  to  Employees 

XXIV  FINANCIAL  AIDS — GROUP  INSURANCE 357 

Gradual  Development  of  Insurance  Idea 

Early  Mutual  Insurance  for  Workers — Defects 

Range  of  Mutual  Insurance  in  Industry 

Legislative  Control 

How  Employers  Can  Help  Mutual  Insurance 

Why  Industry  Has  Taken  Up  Insurance 

Self-help  Among  Workers — Benefit  to  Employees 

Group  Insurance 

The  Principles  of  Group  Insurance 

Advantages  and  Disadvantages 

How  the  Plan  Has  Operated 

Synopsis  of  a  Group  Insurance  Policy 

XXV   FINANCIAL  AIDS — PROFIT-SHARING,  ETC 369 

Service  Annuities,  Pensions,  and  Service  Bonuses 

Solvay  Process  Company's  Pension  Fund 

The  American  Sugar  Refining  Company 

Swift  and  Company 

The  Bell  Telephone  Company 

Service  Rewards 

How  the  Plan  Works 

The  Wage  Bonus 

The  Nature  and  Growth  of  Profit-sharing 

History  of  Profit-sharing 

Opinion  Growing  in  Favor  of  Profit-sharing 

A  Succinct  Statement  of  the  Case 

Profit-Sharing  Defined 

Bonuses  not  Profit-Sharing 

Profit-Sharing  in  Successful  Concerns — A.  W.  Burritt  Company 

The  Hall-Scott  Company 

Morris  and  Company 

An  English  Plan 

The  Endicott- Johnson  Company 

The  Solvay  Process  Company's  Profit-sharing  Plan 

Sears,  Roebuck  and  Company 

An  Exposition  of  the  Plan's  Working 

N.  O.  Nelson  Company 

Summary 


xvi  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

XXVI   LINKING  UP  WITH  THE  COMMUNITY .390 

The  Community  Idea 

The  Obligation  of  the  Employer 

Kinds  of  Industrial  Communities 

Community  Organization 

Thfc  Community  Secretary 

The  Civic  Center 

An  Example  of  Community  Building  and  Improvement 

Two  Examples  of  Steel  Corporation  Towns 

The  Four  Bases  of  Community  Welfare 

Community  Festivals  and  Mutual  Enterprises 

Strictly  Community  Festivals 

Folk  Festival  of  Norton  Grinding  Company 

Pageant  of  Merchant  Shipbuilding  Company 

Minor  Community  Activities 

Gardening 

Playgrounds  and  Kindergartens 

Education 

Building  Citizens 

Athletics 

Community  Singing 

A  Development  of  the  Community  Idea 


APPENDIX  A — FORM  OF  RECORDING  LABOR  TURNOVER — EXPLANATION  410 

B — ESTIMATING    EMPLOYMENT   COSTS — CLASSIFICATION   OF 

PERSONS  EMPLOYED 421 

C — SANITARY  STANDARDS  FOR  FACTORIES  AND  SHOPS  .     .  424 
D — PLAN  FOR  SHOP  SAFETY  ORGANIZATION   .     .     .     .     .  430 

E— TERMS  OF  APPRENTICESHIP  AGREEMENT 451 

F — BY-LAWS  DODGE  MUTUAL  RELIEF  ASSOCIATION      .     .  454 


G — BY-LAWS  AND  FORMS,  CHENEY  BROTHERS  BENEFIT  ASSO- 
CIATION AND  PENSION  REGULATIONS 473 


FORMS  AND  ILLUSTRATIONS 


FIGURE  PAGE 

Flag  Raising  at  the  Chester  Shipbuilding  Company      .     .      Frontispiece 

1.  Table  Showing  the  Functions  of  the  Service  Department  as  Con- 

ceived by  the  Hood  Rubber  Company 29 

2.  Organization  Chart  of  Service  Activities 31 

3.  Diagram  of  the  Personnel  Department  at  the  Plimpton  Press       .      .     33 

4.  Chart  Showing  the  Relation  of  Employment  and  Service  Manager 

to  Other  Administrators 38 

5.  Department  Classification  of  Industrial  Relations  Activities  in  a 

Large  Establishment 39 

6.  Chart  of  the  Functions  of  the  Employee's  Service  Department  in  a 

Large  Establishment 39 

7.  Table   Showing   Effect  of  Service  Work  as  Administered   in   431 

Concerns 40 

8.  Pictorial  English  Lessons  with  Phonetic  Translations  .      .      .      .      .    152 

9.  Specimen  Circulars  Urging  Citizenship 154,  155 

10.  Americanization  Census  Card 156 

11.  Nationality  Survey  Blank 158 

12.  Outline  of  a  Course  in  Industrial  Medicine  and  Public  Health   .      .      .185 

13.  Graphical  Representation  of  Accident  Frequency  Rates     ....   239 

14.  Diagram  of  the  Duties  of  the  Safety  Engineer 245 

15.  Weekly  and  Monthly  Record  Sheet  of  Accidents 246 

1 6.  Organization  Chart  for  Safety  Work 249,  250 

17.  Examples  of  Slogans  on  Pay  Envelopes 255 

1 8.  An  Accident  Prevention  Score-board 257 

19.  Preliminary  Suggestion  Blank 264 

20.  Regular  Suggestion  Blank 265 

21.  Acknowledgment  of  Suggestion  Form 266 

22.  Form  Used  in  Filing  Suggestions 266 

23.  Superintendent's  Copy  of  Suggestion 267 

24.  Report  Blank  on  Suggestions 268 

25.  Commissary  Department  Chart 280 

26.  Table  of  Food  Values ^ 289 

27.  Table  of  Industrial  Benefits  and  Insurance  Premiums 345 

28.  Form  for  Recording  Labor  Turnover 413-416 

29.  Certificate  of  Illness 502 

30.  Sample  Notice  of  Membership  in  Benefit  Association 503 

31.  Form  for  the  Rejection  of  Full  Membership  in  Benefit  Association  504 

32.  (a)  Certificate  of  Full  Membership  in  Benefit  Association  ....   504 
(b)  Terms  of  Full  Membership  in  Benefit  Association 505 

33 .  Certificate  of  Limited  Membership  in  Benefit  Association  ....   505 

34.  Accident  Report  Blank 506-509 

35.  Accident  Disability  Record  Card 5IO 

36.  Sickness  Disability  Record  Card         511 

37.  Personal  Record  Card 512,  513 

xvii 


LABOR  MAINTENANCE 


CHAPTER  I 

NEED  FOR  SERVICE  WORK 

New  Interpretation  of  an  Old  Problem 

Among  the  most  important  and  difficult  problems  in  in- 
dustry today,  is  that  of  so  maintaining  the  labor  forces  that 
there  may  be  the  fewest  possible  number  of  changes  in  per- 
sonnel, the  minimum  of  labor  friction,  and  the  maximum  of 
production.  In  the  past,  industrial  managers  have  concen- 
trated on  the  mechanics  of  production  or  organization;  they 
have  eagerly  sought  and  accepted  new  methods  of  reducing 
wastes;  but  until  recently  they  have  not  given  sufficient  time 
to  that  matter  which  goes  to  the  very  heart  of  industrial 
efficiency — the  human  problem.  It  was  not  until  employers 
in  general  awakened  to  the  startling  wastage  of  human  ma- 
terial and  its  cost  to  them  individually,  as  well  as  to  industry 
in  general,  that  real  attention  became  centered  on  problems 
of  man-power  and  its  maintenance. 

Secretary  William  C.  Redfield  recently  called  us  the  "In- 
dustrial Wasters  of  the  World,"  and  none  may  gainsay  that 
we  have  suffered  prodigious  labor  losses  to  take  place  without 
a  recognition  of  their  existence  or  their  consequences.  But 
a  scarcity  of  labor,  brought  on  by  the  cessation  of  immigra- 
tion, by  the  absorption  of  millions  of  productive  men  in  the 
Great  War,  and  a  desire  of  the  workers  for  a  larger  interest 
in  their  daily  employment  have  brought  us  face  to  face  with 
a  problem  which  we  must  now  solve,  and  solve  intelligently. 

There  is  an  ominous  grumbling  against  inefficiency  with 
its  reckless  hiring  and  firing,  and  its  apparently  greater  solici- 
tude for  machines  than  for  men,  in  present-day  management. 

3 


4  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

The  increasing  number  of  workers  who  voice  this  protest  are 
asking  for  a  share  in  the  control  of  the  conditions  under  which 
they  work  so  that  they  may  reduce  the  hazards  to  which  they 
are  subject  and  be  enabled  to  live  a  more  satisfactory  life. 
What  are  some  of  the  facts? 

Wastes  Owing  to  Labor  Turnover 

The  turnover  of  labor  in  industry  has  been  and  still  is 
appallingly  large.  Its  costs  have  amounted  to  millions  of 
dollars.  Some  of  the  following  examples  have  been  often 
quoted  but  they  are  still  worth  noting  because  of  their  im- 
portance. 

Conditions  in  Metal  Plants 

A  study  of  twenty  metal  plants  in  the  Middle  West,  made 
in  December,  1914,  by  A.  W.  Grieves  of  the  Jeffrey  Manu- 
facturing Company,  revealed  the  fact  that  it  was  found  neces- 
sary to  hire  69,000  men  to  maintain  an  average  of  44,000. 

Magnus  Alexander's  Investigation 

In  1915,  Magnus  Alexander  studied  the  employment 
records  of  the  year  1912,  in  twelve  metal  concerns  where 
there  were  37,274  workers  at  the  beginning,  and  43,971  at 
the  end  of  the  year.  During  this  time  42,571  new  employees 
were  hired.  The  increase  in  the  working  force  amounted  to 
6,697.  The  significant  fact  is  that  35,874  persons  were  hired 
in  excess  of  the  required  increase.  Mr.  Alexander,  in  The 
Nation's  Business.  September,  1916,  said: 

Theoretically,  only  as  many  persons  ought  to  have  been  hired 
as  were  needed  permanently  to  increase  the  force;  practical  allow- 
ances, however,  must  be  made  to  compensate  for  the  following  factors 
applicable  to  workers  generally. 

It  may  be  assumed: 


NEED  FOR   SERVICE  WORK 


1.  That   i    per  cent  of   the   regular   force   of   employees   under 
investigation  die  within  a  year  and  must  be  replaced. 

2.  That  4  per   cent  are  incapacitated   for  work  by  sickness  for 
more    than    two    weeks    and    must    be    replaced    temporarily    or 
permanently. 

3.  That  8  per  cent  withdraw  from  service  from  whatsoever  reason 
or  are  discharged  in  the  course  of  a  year  and  must  be  replaced. 

4.  That    8   per    cent   of   the    normal    force    must    be    added    for 
temporary  work  and  for  normal  fluctuations  in  production. 

5.  That  80  per  cent  constitute  a  satisfactory  efficiency  of  a  hiring. 
department. 

It  follows,  therefore,  that  without  any  permanent  increase  in 
the  working  force,  26^4  per  cent  of  the  total  force  would  have 
to  be  rehired  during  the  year.  The  same  allowances  must  be  applied 
to  the  number  of  employees  required  to  give  a  permanent  increase 
in  the  working  force. 

Applying  these  factors  to  the  problem  in  hand  we  find  that  the 
engagement  of  13,843  persons,  in  addition  to  the  6,697  for  permanent 
increase,  or  the  total  engagement  of  20,540  persons,  would  have 
been  justified  to  cover  withdrawals  by  death,  sickness,  resignation 
and  discharge,  and  to  allow  for  production  fluctuations  and  practical 
employment  results.  But  42,571  persons,  however,  were  engaged, 
or  22,031  above  the  apparently  necessary  requirements. 


Total 

New 

Rehired 

Group  A,  Highly  skilled  mechanics  
Group  B,  Mechanics  of  ordinary  skill  and 
experience 

2,781 
i  818 

2,031 

2  78? 

750 

I  O^I 

Group  C,  Operatives    requiring    very    little 
skill 

7  ^88 

5^0-2 

I  QQ5 

Group  D  Unskilled  laborers 

7  IOO 

c  18-* 

I.QI7 

Group  B   Shop  clerical  force 

Q44. 

68Q 

255 

Total 

22  031 

16.08^ 

5.QJ.8 

It  is  obviously  impossible  to  determine  with  any  degree  of  accuracy 
what  amount  of  money  is  represented  in  this  unnecessary  hiring  of 
over  22,000  persons.  The  waste  per  person  depends  on  his  rate 
of  wages,  how  much  training  he  requires,  and  whether  errors  made 
by  him  during  his  training  involve  damage  to  high-  or  low-priced 


0  LABOR  MAINTENANCE 

tools  or  materials.  Industrial  managers  who  have  hazarded  a  guess 
have  made  various  estimates,  ranging  from  $30  to  $200  per  person. 
In  order  to  establish  as  closely  as  practicable  the  facts  of  the  case, 

1  divided  the  number  of  persons  apparently  unnecessarily  hired  into 
five  groups,  as  given  on  page  5. 

The  expense  factors  of  hiring  and  training  of  employees  in  any 
group  are: 

1.  Clerical  expense  in  hiring  department. 

2.  Instruction  of  foremen  and  assistants. 

3.  Increased  wear  and  tear  of  apparatus. 

4.  Reduced  rate  of  production. 

5.  Increased  amount  of  spoiled  work. 

The  following  table  shows  the  values  assigned  to  each  factor  in 
each  group;  due  weight  having  been  given  to  the  lesser  expense  for 
rehired  employees: 


Group 

Hiring 

Instruction 

Wear  and 
Tear 

Reduced 
Production 

Spoiled 
Work 

Total 

Rehired 
Employees 

A...  . 
B...  . 
C...  . 
D.  . 

$.50 
•  So 
•  So 
•  So 

$  7-50 
15.00 
20.00 

2  .  OO 

$10.00 

IO.OO 
IO.OO 
I  .  OO 

$20.00 
18.00 
33-00 
S.oo 

$10.00 

15.00 

10.00 

$48  .  oo 

58.50 
73.50 
8.50 

$10.00 
20.00 
35-00 
5  .  oo 

E  . 

50 

7  So 

I    OO 

20.  oo 

29  oo 

10  oo 

When  these  values  are  multiplied  by  the  number  of  new  and 
rehired  employees  in  each  group,  the  result  shows  that  the  apparently 
unnecessary  engagement  of  22,031  employees  in  one  year  in  the 
twelve  factories  under  investigation  involved  an  economic  waste  of 
$831,030.  This  amount  will  reach  more  than  a  million  dollars 
if  the  reduced  profits,  increased  overhead  expenses  owing  to  reduced 
production,  expense  of  physical  examination  and  that  resulting  from 
abnormal  accident  occurrence  common  to  green  workers,  are  taken 
into  consideration. 


Some  Street  Railway  Figures 

A  study  of  street  railway  employment  made  by  the  United 
States  Department  of  Labor  brought  out  very  clearly  the  high 


NEED  FOR  SERVICE   WORK  7 

labor  turnover  rates  prevailing  in  that  branch  of  the  trans- 
portation industry.  As  reported  in  the  Monthly  Review  for 
August,  1917,  the  average  annual  turnover  rate  for  motormen 
in  the  96  companies  reporting  to  the  department  was  38.4 
per  cent.  While  the  turnover  in  13  companies  was  as  low 
as  10  per  cent,  in  5  companies  it  was  over  100  per  cent.  In 
the  case  of  conductors  the  statistics  were  even  more  startling, 
for  in  12  out  of  the  96  companies  the  turnover  was  100  per 
cent  or  over. 

Detroit  Conditions 

Analysis  of  the  turnover  figures  in  57  Detroit  plants, 
according  to  an  address  by  Boyd  Fisher  before  the  Employ- 
ment Managers'  Association,  Boston,  1917,  gave  an  average 
of  a  little  over  252  per  cent  a  plant  This  was  largely  owing 
to  unusually  bad  labor  conditions,  but  "the  figures/'  says  Mr. 
Fisher,  "are  not  as  high  as  they  would  be  if  they  did  not 
include  the  comparatively  low  averages  of  plants  having  em- 
ployment departments,  as  well  as  plants  which  allow  foremen 
to  do  their  own  hiring  and  firing.  An  analysis  of  plants  hav- 
ing labor  departments  against  those  having  no  labor  depart- 
ment shows  that,  roughly  averaged,  the  plants  having  no  em- 
ployment department  hired  3  men  to  every  2  hired  by  those 
which  did  have  employment  departments." 

At  the  Ford  Motor  Company,  Detroit,  in  1913,  52,445 
workers  were  hired  and  50,488  left.  "The  stream  going  out 
of  the  door  was  almost  as  great  as  that  coming  in,"  says  an 
official  of  the  company.  During  the  period  of  15  months 
from  June,  1915,  to  September,  1916,  25,670  entered  the 
employ  of  the  company  and  7,031  left  for  various  reasons. 
In  1916,  after  the  installation  of  an  employment  department 
to  increase  the  working  force  100  men,  it  was  necessary  to 
hire  136  men;  previous  to  that  year,  963  men  had  to  be  hired 
to  accomplish  the  same  results. 


8  LABOR  MAINTENANCE 

Transportation 

The  Southern  Pacific  Railway  Company  recently  estimated 
its  annual  turnover  to  be  150  per  cent.  Taking  this  as  an 
average  figure,  says  a  recent  number  of  American  Industries, 
for  all  the  railways  of  the  country,  which  employ  about  1,800,- 
ooo  men,  it  is  necessary  to  hire  2,700,000  men  each  year  in 
order  to  maintain  the  1,800,000  workers.  On  the  assumption 
that  it  costs  $10  for  each  man  broken  in,  the  total  cost  of  this 
labor  turnover  would  be  $27,000,000. 

Shipbuilding 

At  a  conference  of  shipyard  employment  managers  in 
Washington,  D.  C.,  November  9,  1917,  Rear  Admiral  Capps 
made  the  statement  that  "in  64  yards,  of  which  we  have  recently 
had  accurate  data,  the  turnover  averaged  235  per  cent  a  week 
or  so  ago,  and  probably  was  300  per  cent  at  the  last  report. 
In  the  course  of  a  year  you  could  well  realize  what  this  means 
in  the  volume  of  men  passing  through  your  works  without  an 
adequate  return  in  labor." 

"As  a  result  of  difficulties  at  the  Hog  Island  Shipyard," 
says  the  report  of  the  United  States  Attorney-General  who 
investigated  affairs  there,  "labor  became  so  disorganized,  men 
were  shifted  from  job  to  job,  and  were  hired  and  quit  so 
frequently  that  the  labor  turnover  was  from  50  to  100  per 
cent  a  week."1 

Shortly  after  the  armistice  was  signed,  the  Chief  of  the 
Naval  Bureau  of  Yards  and  Docks  told  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives' Naval  Committee  that  some  contractors  reported  a 
labor  turnover  as  high  as  50  per  cent  a  week. 

Cloak  and  Suit  Trade 

A  recent  study  covering  the  18  cloak  and  suit  establish- 
ments affiliated  with  the  Cleveland  Garment  Manufacturers' 


1  See  the   Official   Bulletin   of  the   United    States,    December   23,    1918. 


NEED  FOR   SERVICE  WORK  9 

Association,  and  three  other  shops  besides,  made  by  the  United 
States  Department  of  Labor,  revealed  a  labor  turnover  of 
about  92  per  cent  a  year  for  the  industry. 

This  percentage  is  based  on  figures  furnished  by  slightly 
over  one-  fourth  of  the  firms  studied. 

One  employer  having  an  average  of  50  workers  had  a 
turnover  of  1,200  per  cent,  a  condition  characteristic  of  other 
small  shops  in  the  trade.  The  investigator  attributes  this 
condition  in  part  to  the  "careless  and  haphazard  methods  used 
in  dealing  with  the  labor  phase  of  their  business"  and  states 
that  '  'about  seven-tenths  of  the  labor  turnover  of  the  industry 
was  caused  by  voluntary  separations,  to  accept  positions  which 
offered  better  earning  opportunities  or  more  desirable  condi- 
tions of  employment/' 

Conditions  in  Milwaukee 

A  recent  study  of  21  establishments  in  Milwaukee  with 
an  average  of  26,662  employees  actually  working,  which  was 
conducted  by  the  Bureau  of  Labor  Statistics  and  reported  in 
the  Labor  Review,  April,  1919,  showed  these  conditions: 

Discharged   ......................................  3,042 

Laid  off  .........................................  863 

Entered  military  service  ...........................  2,323 

Quit    ............................................  30,788 


These  are  only  some  of  the  facts.  The  profession  of 
employment  management  is  new  and  its  principles  not  yet 
fully  crystallized  or  universally  in  operation;  it  will  therefore 
take  some  time  before  we  can  have  a  complete  audit  of  the 
costs  resulting  from  labor  turnover.  We  have  definite  figures 
of  our  losses  with  reference  to  industrial  accidents,  ill  health, 
and  disease,  but  we  have  not  yet  a  complete  picture  of  the 


10  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

enormous  losses  which  attend  the  unintelligent  management  of 
labor. 

Factors  in  the  Cost  of  Labor  Turnover 

Nevertheless,  the  costs  of  an  unsettled  working  force  have 
been  measured  with  a  fair  degree  of  accuracy.  (See  Ap- 
pendices A  and  B.)  Anyone  can  see  that  it  must  cost  a 
considerable  amount  to  hire,  place,  train,  and  lose  workers. 
Some  of  the  elements  which  enter  into  such  costs  are: 

1.  Salaries  of  executives,  clerks,  and  others  on  the  staff 

of  the  department. 

2.  Cost  of  printing,  stationery,  and  supplies  for  the  de- 

partment.    (The  cost  of  equipment,  rent,  light,  and 
heat  is  a  factor  to  be  considered  in  certain  cases. ) 

3.  Cost  of  advertising  for  new  workers,  or  getting  in 

touch  with  sources  of  labor  supply. 

4.  Cost  of  breaking  in  or  training  new  workers.     This 

may  include  the  time  of  the  executive  or  workman 
who  instructs  the  new  worker. 

5.  Non-production  during  the  period  of  initiation. 

6.  Inadequate  production  during  the  period  of  initiation. 

7.  Imperfect  work. 

8.  Repeated  corrective  work. 

9.  Retarded  production  of  the  gang,  group,  or  department 

in  which  the  new  worker  is  placed. 

10.  Spoiled  work. 

11.  Abuse  of  tools,  machines,  or  equipment. 

12.  Cost  of  medical  supervision. 

13.  Cost  of  accidents. 

14.  Loss  of  employees'  good- will.     (This  is  hardly  meas- 

urable but  should  be  considered.) 

Cost  to  the  employee  will  be: 
i.  Loss  of  new  employee's  time  in  getting  adjusted. 


NEED  FOR  SERVICE  WORK  « 

2.  Probable  low  starting  wage  for  the  new  worker. 

3.  Time  lost  in  seeking  another  job  if  employee  finds 

present  job  unsatisfactory  or  if  present  job  finds 
him  unadaptable. 

Subject  under  General  Study 

Far-sighted  employers  are  now  turning  their  attention  to 
the  problem  of  keeping  their  workers.  The  subject  is  also 
being  studied  by  the  federal  government  through  its  various 
agencies,  by  chambers  of  commerce  throughout  the  country, 
by  economists,  by  trade  unionists,  in  fact  by  everyone  con- 
cerned about  the  growing  unrest  and  the  future  of  industry. 
It  is  not  easy  to  obtain  a  satisfactory  solution,  but  we  can 
at  least  approach  the  problem  with  the  proper  point  of  view 
and  profit  by  the  abundant  record  now  available  of  more  or 
less  successful  attempts  to  deal  with  the  problem. 

Plant  Maintenance  and  Labor  Stability 

Labor  maintenance  and  plant  maintenance  are  closely  re- 
lated. In  fact,  as  we  shall  see  later,  proper  plant  maintenance 
is  a  condition  precedent  to  effective  labor  maintenance.  But 
they  are  absolutely  distinct  as  to  methods  of  handling.  Each 
should  be  managed  separately.  Each  requires  a  different  type 
of  manager.  One  is  a  matter  of  physical  conditions,  of  prac- 
tical adjustments;  the  other  a  problem  of  men  and  human 
nature,  of  psychological  adjustments. 

The  point  should  be  emphasized  that  man-power  should  be 
treated  as  wisely,  and  with  as  careful  planning,  as  the  plant 
and  its  machinery.  We  would  go  further  and  say  that  the 
worker  must  receive  much  more  attention,  because  he  is  a 
thinking,  feeling  being,  a  person  of  will  and  desires.  In 
planning  labor  efficiency  and  stability  the  best  thought  in  the 
management  is  required. 


12  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

Co-operation  of  Worker  and  Management  Necessary 

The  trend  of  the  times  points  to  the  need  of  greater  co- 
operation of  management  and  men.  The  barriers  created 
through  mutual  mistrust  must  be  broken  down.  Industrial 
peace  is  impossible  without  respect  and  appreciation  of  each 
other's  point  of  view.  Managers  must  know  their  men,  and 
men  must  know  their  managers.  The  conference  table  is  the 
new  scene  of  action.  Employers  can  no  longer  refuse  to  deal 
with  representatives  of  their  workers.  Employers  cannot 
afford  to  let  men  nurse  grievances.  They  must  get  at  trouble 
before  it  starts ;  in  other  words,  they  must  remove  the  causes 
of  friction.  They  can  do  this  by  extending  a  friendly  hand 
to  the  workers  and  by  obtaining  their  assistance  in  the  solu- 
tion of  common  problems. 

Now  that  the  war  is  over  industry  must  adjust  itself  to 
a  changed  state  of  mind  on  the  part  of  American  labor.  It 
is  a  matter  of  psychology  which  must  be  met  by  insight.  The 
aspirations  of  the  workingman  must  be  understood  if  labor 
and  capital  are  to  co-operate.  As  J.  MacKenzie  King  puts  it, 
"Fear  must  be  supplanted  by  Faith  if  the  breach  between  the 
worker  and  the  employer  is  not  to  be  widened  and  class 
consciousness  is  not  to  develop  to  the  point  where  open  war- 
fare becomes  inevitable."  2 

The  worker  has  ideals.  There  are  shades  of  difference 
but  what  the  worker  is  striving  for  is  finding  expression  in 
the  programs  of  his  various  organizations  here  and  abroad. 
The  trend  of  these  programs  is  toward  more  self-government 
in  industry.  Having  long  been  denied  a  part  in  the  administra- 
tion of  industry,  and  forced  to  work  oftentimes  under  adverse 
conditions,  labor  feels  that  the  time  has  come  when  its  voice 
must  be  heard.  Complete  industrial  autonomy  may  be  a  re- 
mote possibility,  but  we  are  faced  with  the  immediate  problem 


3  "Industry   and   Humanity,"    Houghton,    Mifflin    Co.,    1918. 


NEED   FOR   SERVICE   WORK  13 

of  how  to  secure  and  maintain  the  good- will  of  the  worker, 
how  to  remove  the  sources  of  misunderstanding  and  friction 
between  him  and  his  employer,  and  how  to  reduce  the  wastes 
which  destroy  confidence  in  the  present  system  of  industrial 
management.  This  leads  us  to  the  subject  of  "welfare  work" 
as  a  means  of  promoting  the  good- will  and  stability  of  labor 
and  to  the  consideration  of  why  it  has  failed  in  this  respect. 


CHAPTER  II 

SERVICE  WORK— THE  RIGHT  FOUNDATION 

"Welfare  Work"— Its  Failure 

The  idea  of  work  for  the  welfare  of  employees  is  not  new, 
for  experiments  were  made  decades  ago.  "Welfare  work" 
so  called,  began  in  England  as  an  expression  of  the  benevolent 
spirit  of  employers.  The  first  comprehensive  efforts  of  the 
sort  were  made  by  Robert  Owen  in  his  mills  at  New  Lanark. 
Holyoake  remarks  in  his  admirable  "History  of  Co-opera- 


it  is  Owen  who  first  showed  masters  what  they  might 
with  honor  and  profit  do  by  voluntary  partnership  with  those 
they  employed.  The  law  did  not  permit  participation  of 
profit  with  workmen  in  those  days.  It  could  only  be  done 
in  the  form  of  gifts.  Only  patronage  co-operation  was  pos- 
sible. Mr.  Owen  made  these  in  the  form  of  education, 
recreation,  improved  dwellings,  and  increased  wages.  All 
these  were  revocable — the  law  forbade  contracts  of  participa- 
tion with  workmen.  Industrial  equity  bore  the  name  of 
benevolence  and  dividends  of  profit  reached  workmen  in  the 
form  of  a  discriminating  charity. 

Owen,  however,  was  a  paternalist  and  welfare  work  owes 
its  failure  to  paternalism. 

Workers'  Dislike  of  Being  Patronized 

Since  Owen's  time  there  have  been  many  well-intentioned 
plans  for  workers,  but  they  have  not  met  with  the  success 
expected.  The  failure  of  Pullman,  Illinois,  still  lingers  in 


SERVICE   WORK — THE   RIGHT   FOUNDATION  15 

memory  as  an  exhibition  of  what  a  short-sighted  labor  policy 
may  result  in,  however  kindly  the  spirit  in  which  the  plan 
is  launched.  In  other  cases,  by  ignoring  the  wishes  of  the 
workers  when  providing  for  them,  considerable  losses  have 
been  incurred.  A  widely  known  textile  company  in  Rhode 
Island  spent  $20,000  in  providing  a  well-equipped  clubhouse 
for  its  workers;  but  it  met  with  little  success.  One  of  the 
largest  corporations  in  this  country  spent  over  a  million  dollars 
in  establishing  "welfare"  work — but  this  did  not  prevent  a 
very  serious  and  costly  strike. 

Organized  Labor  Suspicious 

Organized  labor  has  been  particularly  hostile  to  welfare 
work  as  ordinarily  practiced.  And  why?  It  is  not  that  the 
worker  is  unappreciative,  but  that  he  will  not  be  patronized. 
He  objects  to  having  his  initiative  weakened  or  destroyed. 
Furthermore,  he  has  had  bitter  experience  with  employers 
who  have  used  welfare  work  as  a  club  over  him,  who  have 
conducted  it  for  advertising  purposes,  or  who  have  used  it  as 
a  substitute  for  a  fair,  living  wage. 

He  has  had  experience  with  employers  who  boasted  of 
their  fine  plan  for  sick  benefits,  when  sanitary  conditions  in 
their  plants  were  intolerable  and  the  object  of  attack  by  the 
health  authorities.  He  remembers  employers  who  produced 
and  distributed  finely  printed,  expensive  pamphlets  describing 
the  "welfare"  work  at  their  mines  while  they  robbed  the 
employee  at  the  "company"  store  because  no  other  store 
existed  or  was  allowed  to  exist  in  the  town.  He  cannot 
forget  the  employer's  "model"  town  with  its  model  houses 
from  which  he  was  evicted  without  a  chance  to  find  other 
shelter  because  a  foreman  "had  it  in  for  him"  and  he  was 
discharged  from  the  plant.  He  still  meets  friends  who  lost 
many  an  hour  wearily  waiting  for  frequent  shortages  of  pay 
to  be  adjusted  while  the  publicity  representative  of  the  com- 


1 6  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

pany  was  telling  of  the  fine  things  being  done  for  the  workers' 
welfare. 

England— -"Welfare  Supervisors" 

Some  recent  developments  in  England  illustrate  very  clearly 
the  attitude  of  labor  toward  the  sort  of  welfare  work  which 
it  feels  to  be  a  means  of  exploitation,  and  indicate  also  what 
labor  considers  a  fair  basis  for  work  of  that  character. 

England,  like  the  United  States,  is  waking  up  to  the  im- 
portance of  the  new  science  of  employment  management. 
Thus  far  the  development  has  been  mainly  confined  to  the 
work  of  women  "welfare  supervisors"  in  plants  for  women 
workers.  The  English  government  has  indorsed  the  idea  of 
welfare  supervisors  as  a  means  for  increasing  output.  Many 
unionists  have  attacked  this  point  of  view.  The  betterment 
of  industrial  conditions,  say  the  unions,  should  be  directed 
toward  "improved  health,  comfort,  and  development"  for  the 
workers  as  ends  in  themselves,  rather  than  using  the  workers 
as  tools  for  more  production.  The  ideal  of  the  "welfare 
supervisor"  they  claim,  is  "docile,  obedient,  and  machine-like 
women  workers."  "The  good  welfare  worker  is  the  most 
dangerous"  because  she  "destroys  the  independence  of  the 
workers  and  turns  them  from  unionism.  Her  responsibility 
to  the  employer  makes  her  a  more  efficient  kind  of  slave- 
driver."  She  is  inclined  to  interfere  with  the  private,  personal 
affairs  of  the  workers. 

"Trade  Union"  Views 

Another  view  agrees  that  some  supervisors  will  effect  good 
results  in  safeguarding  and  improving  the  girls'  working  lives ; 
but  they  fear  that  others  will  come  into  the  work  with  peculiar 
notions  of  "discipline,"  firmly  convinced  "till  experience 
teaches  them  better,  that  trade  unionism  is  of  the  devil." 


SERVICE   WORK — THE   RIGHT  FOUNDATION  *7 

An  unusually  clear  statement  is  found  in  the  memorandum 
prepared  by  the  Joint  Committee  of  the  Woolwich  Trades 
and  Labour  Council,  and  the  Woolwich  Labour  Party.  This 
paper  states  that: 

The  following  conditions  are  essential  to  any  scheme  of 
welfare  supervision  that  is  to  win  the  full  confidence  and 
support  of  the  workers:  \ 

1.  Welfare  supervision  must  aim  primarily  at  promoting 
the   welfare    of    the   workers,    and    not    at    increasing   the 
workers'  output. 

2.  In   the    interest    of    welfare    supervision    and   of    the 
workers,  duties  which  conflict  with  welfare  supervision  must 
not  be  included  in  the  works  of  welfare  supervisors. 

3.  Welfare   schemes   and   supervisors   must  be  under  a 
democratic   system   of  control   in   which  the  workers   shall 
have  equal  participation  with  the  employers. 

4.  The   established   field  of  operations   of  trade  unions 
and  their  officials  must  be  clearly  and  loyally  recognized  by 
welfare  schemes  and  supervisors. 

5.  Welfare  supervisors  should  be  drawn,  as  far  as  pos- 
sible, from  among  the  workers. 

6.  Welfare  supervisors  should  not  be  appointed  without 
preliminary  training  or  experience,  such  training  to  include 
a  knowledge  of  trade  union  aims  and  methods. 

7.  The  remuneration  and  hours  of  all  assistants  in  welfare 
supervision  work  (e.g.,  canteen  workers)  must  be  of  a  trade 
union  standard. 

8.  If  government  control  of  welfare  supervision  is  main- 
tained after  the  war,  such  control  must  be  transferred  from 
the  Ministry  of  Munitions  to  the  Ministry  of  Labour. 

We  submit  further  that: 

9.  There  should  be  the  maximum  of  efficient  co-operation 
among  local  welfare  schemes,  especially  with  regard  to  small 
factories. 

10.  There  should  be  the  maximum  of  efficient  co-operation 
between   local   welfare   schemes    and   the    municipality,   es- 
pecially with  regard  to  health,  housing,  transit,  and  recrea- 
tion. 

11.  As    welfare    supervision    will    probably    become    a 


1 8  LABOR  MAINTENANCE  . 

permanent  and  extending  element  of  the  industrial  system, 
there  should  be  held  in  each  industrial  center,  one  or  more 
conferences,  convened  by  the  Trade  Council,  or,  where  there 
is  also  a  local  labour  party,  both  bodies  jointly,  for  the 
purpose  of  considering  the  aims,  scope,  and  methods  of  wel- 
fare supervision;  and  that  such  local  conferences  should  be 
followed  by  a  joint  conference  of  the  Trade  Union  Congress 
and  the  National  Labour  Party. 

In  short,  labor  does  not  want  the  worker  bound  to  his 
employer  by  any  scheme  no  matter  how  great  its  benefits. 
The  worker  wants  his  independence  and  that  cannot  be  bought 
at  any  price.  Labor  wants  no  "benevolent  feudalism." 

On  the  other  hand,  to  quote  the  words  of  Bolen  in  "Getting 
a  Living/'  the  statement  cited  above  shows  also  that: 

The  staunchest  unionists  are  not  so  unreasonable  as  to  be 
hostile  to  the  welfare  institutions  of  the  employer  who  asks 
no  surrender  of  manly  right,  nor  attempts  to  reimburse 
himself  from  wages  and  who,  not  posing  as  a  philanthropist 
nor  expecting  gratitude,  treats  his  men  well  because  it  is  the 
only  right  way — a  way  equally  as  profitable  to  himself  as  to 
them  or  to  society.  There  need  be  no  trouble  here  if  the 
employer's  designs  are  those  of  straightforward  business. 

In  her  recent  book  on  the  subject,  Miss  E.  Dorothea  Proud 
defines  welfare  work  to  consist  "of  voluntary  efforts  on  the 
part  of  employers  to  improve,  within  the  existing  industrial 
system,  the  conditions  of  employment  in  their  own  factories." 
She  excludes  profit-sharing  and  co-partnership  from  this 
definition.  George  M.  Price  in  "The  Modern  Factory,"  de- 
fines welfare  work  as  "all  devices,  appliances,  activities,  and 
institutions  voluntarily  created  and  maintained  by  employers 
for  the  purpose  of  improving  the  economic,  physical,  intel- 
lectual, or  social  conditions  of  the  workers  in  their  industrial 
establishments."  With  such  a  conception  of  "welfare  work" 
organized  labor  has  no  quarrel. 


SERVICE   WORK — THE   RIGHT   FOUNDATION  19 

A  Better  Name— "Service  Work" 

But  for  such  activities  as  these  the  term  "welfare  work" 
is  not  suitable.  That  term  will  always  be  associated  with 
paternalism  and  its  abuses.  The  Secretary  of  the  National 
Federation  of  Women  Workers  in  England,  states  that  the 
term  "welfare"  is  the  most  unpopular  word  in  the  terminology 
of  the  factory  worker.  Various  terms  have  been  suggested 
to  take  its  place.  Some  persons  have  suggested  the  term 
"industrial  betterment  work,"  or  "mutual  betterment  work." 
These  terms  have  their  merits,  but  there  is  another  even  more 
suitable,  that  of  "service  work." 

Industry  has  gone  through  marked  changes  since  the  time 
of  Owen.  We  are  reaching  the  stage  when  all  phases  of 
industrial  enterprise  will  be  measured  in  terms  of  service — 
service  to  the  worker,  to  the  consumer,  to  the  public,  and  to 
society.  This  does  not  mean  change  in  the  inherent  structure 
of  industry  but  it  does  mean  a  changed  point  of  view  and 
method  in  industrial  administration.  The  ideal  is  to  make 
labor  a  constant  factor  in  administration  and  operation  rather 
than  a  wasteful  variable.  The  method  is,  through  industrial 
service  activities,  to  give  the  subject  of  labor  maintenance  the 
same  thoughtful  consideration  and  action  that  the  other  large 
branches  of  administration  are  receiving. 

Aims  and  Ideals 

The  best  organized  plant  in  the  future  will  be  the  one 
which  has  a  well-developed  department  of  labor  maintenance 
or  service,  conducted  by  a  specially  qualified  executive.  If 
the  plant  is  large  enough,  it  will  have  a  manager  of  industrial 
relations  who  will  guide  the  employment  department  and  the 
service  department,  and  supervise  safety  work,  health  work, 
educational  and  industrial  training  work,  and  all  other  activi- 
ties concerned  with  the  maintenance  of  labor  at  its  maximum 
efficiency  and  satisfaction.  Service  work  then  will  follow  a 


20  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

constructive  course.  Its  results  will  be  measured  not  only  in 
dollars  and  cents  but  in  terms  of  good- will  and  industrial 
peace. 

New  Conception  of  Employment 

With  the  growth  of  new  ideals  in  labor  management  has 
come  a  new  interpretation  of  the  term  "employment."  It 
no  longer  means  simply  signing  up  anyone  who  looks  good 
for  a  job  and  firing  him  at  will.  Employment  involves  a 
new  responsibility  on  the  part  of  management — a  responsibility 
which  extends  beyond  the  employment  office.  It  means  careful 
consideration  of  the  conditions  under  which  the  worker  is 
placed,  to  eliminate  the  drags  on  his  efficiency,  to  study  closely 
his  desires  and  aspirations,  to  appreciate  his  personal  problems, 
and  to  scrutinize  still  more  closely  the  cause  of  the  dissatis- 
faction that  separates  him  from  his  job. 

Successful  labor  maintenance  is  not  merely  a  matter  of 
"installing"  service  features  in  a  plant;  it  is  more  a  matter 
of  utilizing  all  the  possibilities  for  right  co-operation  latent 
in  the  men  and  women  engaged  in  the  establishment,  combined 
with  sympathetic  understanding  and  treatment  on  the  part  of 
the  management.  The  element  of  mutuality  must  always  be 
present.  There  must  be  a  partnership  of  spirit  that  is  whole- 
hearted on  both  sides.  The  days  of  "hiring  and  firing"  are 
over.  This  is  the  time  for  hiring  and  inspiring. 

Service  Work  and  Industrial  Justice 

Properly  administered,  service  work  promotes  self-respect, 
develops  the  workers'  initiative,  and  encourages  democratic 
effort  and  co-operation.  It  removes  many  causes  of  friction 
by  clearing  up  petty  but  not  unimportant  misunderstandings. 
It  directs  the  energies  of  workers  along  avenues  of  whole- 
some growth,  thereby  making  employment  a  common  enter- 
prise rather  than  a  case  of  master  and  servant.  It  increases 


SERVICE   WORK — THE   RIGHT   FOUNDATION  21 

the  workers'  personal  and  industrial  efficiency  by  intelligent 
assistance  to  them  in  their  problems.  It  makes  up  in  a  measure 
the  personal  contacts  between  employer  and  employee  lost 
through  big  organization.  No  charity  or  philanthropy  is  in- 
volved. It  is  a  matter  of  good  business  as  well  as  a  matter 
of  "industrial  justice/'  as  some  express  it.  It  is  an  investment 
in  good-will,  an  upbuilder  of  morale. 

Service  Work  Good  Business 

Why  it  is  good  business  is  obvious.  The  worker  who 
is  fit  and  satisfied  produces  more,  and  the  quality  of  what 
he  produces  is  better.  If  proper  medical  attention  is  provided 
at  the  plant  for  minor  ailments  it  eliminates  the  loss  of  time 
and  of  production  involved  in  going  outside  for  treatment. 
If  proper  food  is  provided  at  the  plant  at  reasonable  cost,  the 
worker  is  better  able  to  sustain  his  energies  and  is  better 
fitted  for  the  work  in  hand  than  when  he  is  left  to  eat  a 
cold  lunch,  often  without  nutritious  value.  If  the  worker  is 
assured  of  continuous  employment  and  is  assisted  in  providing 
for  emergencies  of  sickness,  old  age,  or  death,  a  great  load  of 
worry  is  removed  and  he  may  apply  himself  to  his  work  with 
the  zeal  of  an  enthusiast.  If  the  monotony  of  highly  sub- 
divided industrial  operation  is  mitigated,  reduction  in  the  turn- 
over of  labor  takes  place. 

Service  work  builds  man-power  and  gives  it  that  staying 
quality,  that  permanency,  which  means  maximum  effort  and 
minimum  loss.  In  other  words,  it  promotes  stability. 

A  Constructive  Force — Brings  Co-operation 

Talking  in  terms  of  human  values,  service  work  acts  as 
a  safety  valve  for  feelings  and  emotions  which  seek,  and 
must  have  expression.  Guided  constructively,  a  wonderful 
power  for  good  may  be  developed.  The  success  and  happiness 
of  a  person  lie  in  having  wholesome  interest  in  and  outside 


22  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

of  vocation.  Man  cannot  express  himself  in  work  when  that 
work  is  often  of  deadly  monotony.  He  must  have  self-expres- 
sion in  some  social,  communal  manner;  for  man  is  a  social 
animal.  Some  are  more  social  than  others  and  possess  quali- 
ties of  leadership  which,  recognized  and  rightly  developed, 
mean  industrial  peace  and  the  accession  to  industry  of  com- 
petent, promising  executive  material. 

The  right  kind  of  service  work  builds  co-operation  of 
management  and  worker.  Rather  than  dictate  what  activities 
there  shall  be  for  the  workers,  the  wise  manager  consults  his 
men  and  gets  from  them  a  frank  opinion  of  the  desirability 
of  proposed  activities.  He  may  make  suggestions  which  will 
help  them  form  their  opinion,  and  if  they  disagree  he  may 
try  to  convince  them  of  his  point  of  view.  But  he  should 
never  go  ahead  with  an  important  plan  simply  because  he 
thinks  the  workers  ought  to  have  it,  unless  it  is  something 
which  is  aimed  to  bring  the  physical  conditions  of  the* plant 
up  to  standard. 

No  service  work  is  worthy  of  the  name  if  it  does  not 
encourage  self-directed  activities.  The  more  activities  of  this 
kind  there  are,  the  slighter  the  danger  of  friction  and  dissatis- 
faction. These  may  be  a  mutual  benefit  association,  a  co- 
operative plan  for  the  purchase  of  the  necessities  of  life,  a 
savings  club,  or  some  other  useful  enterprise.  Worked  out 
in  this  way,  the  employees  would  be  glad  to  avail  themselves 
of  the  wise  counsel  and  assistance  of  the  experienced  employer. 

Conditions  of  Work  Must  Be  Good 

Let  us  now  turn  to  the  fundamental  principles.  Full 
recognition  must  be  given  to  the  fact  that  proper  working 
conditions  axre  the  basis  of  successful  labor  management  and 
maintenance.  Industrial  success  requires  certain  standards. 
These  include  proper  sanitary  arrangements,  conditions  of 
heat,  light,  ventilation,  safety,  and  health.  When  these  are 


SERVICE   WORK — THE   RIGHT   FOUNDATION  23 

not  met,  legislation  seeks  to  enforce  a  minimum.  If  legislation 
is  difficult  to  obtain,  or  if  it  seems  more  expedient  to  the  men, 
resort  will  be  had  to  economic  pressure  to  bring  about  desired 
reform.  Intelligent  service  work  goes  beyond  this  minimum 
and  often  sets  a  standard  much  higher  than  the  law  demands ; 
or  it  even  anticipates  legislation,  as  several  large  corporations 
have  done. 

No  service  work  is  of  value  if  it  does  not  rest  upon  sound 
work  conditions.  We  cannot  expect  a  man  to  be  satisfied 
with  his  job  or  give  best  productive  results  if  he  has  to  use 
an  unsanitary  toilet;  or  if  toilet  facilities  are  inadequate; 
or  if  the  ventilation  of  the  shop  is  poor  and  he  is  poisoned  by 
dangerous  gases;  or  the  shop  is  underheated  as  a  result  of 
his  efforts  to  get  good  air;  or  if  the  workroom  is  overheated 
and  the  worker's  brain  is  dulled;  or  if  the  occupation  is 
hazardous,  and  inadequate  safeguards  are  provided. 

The  matter  is  clearly  put  by  D.  H.  MacGregor  in  his 
"Evolution  of  Industry": 

Much  of  what  is  now  called  "social  betterment"  or 
"model  employment"  implies  rather  the  removal  of  unfavor- 
able conditions  through  the  gift  of  specially  favorable  con- 
ditions. The  mere  fact  that  such  schemes  attracted  great 
public  attention  in  the  beginning  of  the  twentieth  century 
is  a  serious  reflection  upon  existing  standards,  and  is  to  be 
read  in  the  light  of  the  criticism  of  fifty  years  hence  no  less 
than  in  the  spirit  of  sympathy  with  its  purposes  at  present. 

Wages  Must  Be  Fair 

A  study  of  labor  turnover  statistics  indicates  the  fact  that 
the  largest  number  of  voluntary  resignations  of  workers  is 
due  to  dissatisfaction  with  wages.  This  is  true  even  in 
concerns  which  have  excellently  organized  service  work,  and 
which  are  known  for  their  fair  treatment.  The  high  cost 
of  living  and  the  usual  burden  of  financial  obligations  borne 
by  the  industrial  worker  make  it  imperative  for  him  to  seek 


24  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

and  obtain  the  highest  pay  for  his  labor.  And  that  pay  must 
be  sufficient  to  support  him  and  his  family  in  reasonable  com- 
fort, supply  them  with  the  education  and  recreation  necessary 
for  all,  keep  them  in  good  health,  and  help  safeguard  them 
against  want  should  anything  prevent  the  wage-earner  from 
continuing  his  work. 

The  wage  question  cannot  be  ignored  in  considering  how 
labor  may  be  stabilized.  A  fair  wage  is  the  starting  point 
of  service  work;  it  is  the  keystone  of  a  sound  industrial  struc- 
ture. Many  an  employer's  effort  to  improve  his  workers' 
condition  has  met  with  bitter  disappointment  through  failure 
to  observe  this  fundamental  truth.  William  Howard  Taft 
said  recently: 

Too  many  employers  seek  to  justify  failure  to  raise 
wages  by  pointing  to  their  welfare  work  for  their  employees. 
This  is  of  a  paternal  character  and  impresses  the  workers 
with  the  idea  that  they  are  being  looked  after  as  wards  and 
not  treated  as  men  capable  of  exercising  independent  dis- 
cretion as  to  their  welfare.  They  are  apt  to  give  the 
employees  the  idea  that  it  is  a  generous  concession  they 
are  making  out  of  the  goodness  of  their  hearts  and  that 
they  are  not  merely  yielding  a  right  for  a  quid  pro  quo 
for  what  they  receive.1 

Properly  Co-ordinated  Effort 

Granted  that  a  fair  wage  prevails,  other  elements  which 
make  for  stability  of  labor  still  remain.  We  have  spoken  of 
sound  working  conditions,  intelligent  handling  of  men — which 
means  fair  treatment — appreciation  of  the  point  of  view  of 
the  worker,  absence  of  paternalism,  encouragement  of  initiative, 
self-directed  social  activities,  and  development  of  co-operative 
activity  between  employer  and  employee.  We  have  spoken, 
too,  of  careful  study  of  the  entire  problem  of  labor  main- 
tenance by  a  functionalized  department  and  the  formulation 


1  Washington  Post,  November    26,   1918,  page  3. 


SERVICE   WORK — THE    RIGHT   FOUNDATION  25 

of  a  definite,  basic  policy  to  be  modified  from  time  to  time 
according  to  circumstances.  Properly  organized  service  work 
co-ordinates  all  efforts  of  workers  and  employer  in  a  common 
program.  Properly  organized  service  work  allows  no  hap- 
hazard planning;  it  imbues  every  activity  with  a  well-defined, 
carefully  planned  common  purpose;  it  brings  out  the  best  in 
the  individual  and  makes  group  action  constructive. 

Such  are  the  elements  of  the  new  conception  of  labor 
maintenance.  How  this  conception  may  be  made  concrete, 
how  a  sound  practice  may  be  developed,  this  book  endeavors 
to  illustrate. 


CHAPTER  III 

THE   EMPLOYEES'    SERVICE   DEPARTMENT—ITS 
RELATION  TO  OTHER  DEPARTMENTS 

Proper  Name  for  the  Department 

We  have  seen  in  the  last  chapter  the  defects  in  what  is 
familiarly  known  as  "welfare  work"  and  what  are  the  ideals 
of  the  newer  "service  work."  To  carry  out  those  ideals  is 
the  particular  duty  of  what  might  be  called  the  "employees' 
service  department." 

The  matter  of  name,  indeed,  may  well  be  considered  for 
a  moment.  Those  who  developed  the  special  War  Emergency 
Training  Course  in  Employment  Management  at  the  Univer- 
sity of  Rochester,  New  York,  made  a  careful  survey  of  firms 
throughout  the  country,  such  survey  showing  that  "service"  or 
"service  and  employment"  department  were  the  only  titles  at 
all  widely  used  instead  of  "employment  department." 

The  following  memorandum  on  the  subject,  prepared  by 
the  training  school  and  representing  many  viewpoints,  may 
here  be  quoted: 

The  joint  committee  establishing  the  Training  Courses  in 
Employment  Management  after  investigation  and  considera- 
tion of  some  14  names  and  titles,  unanimously  voted  to  use 
the  words  "service  department"  in  connection  with  employ- 
ment management,  and  the  following  points  were  made: 

The  establishment  of  industrial  service  departments  in 
the  shipping  board  and  ordnance  departments  having  in  mind 
the  same  broad  functions  intended  to  be  covered  by  employ- 
ment management  was  a  strong  reason  for  use  of  the  title 
"service  department"  in  particular  industries. 

"Service"  is  a  word  of  large  significance  and  meaning  to 
26 


EMPLOYEES'  SERVICE  DEPARTMENT      27 

general  managers  because  of  its  acknowledged  importance  in 
connection  with  sales.  The  use  of  the  words  thus  in  connec- 
tion with  factory  and  employees  would  tend  to  enhance  the 
standing  and  importance  of  such  a  department  and  to  give  it 
large  scope. 

"Service"  is  the  best  word  for  approach  to  employees. 
It  implies  that  it  exists  as  a  matter  of  right  and  obligation. 
It  is  free  from  any  taint  of  philanthropy  or  paternalism. 

The  use  of  the  word  "service"  makes  it  easy  to  substitute 
the  words  "service"  and  "personal  service"  for  the  word 
"welfare"  which  latter  word  is  held  undesirable  and  objec- 
tionable. "Personal  service"  work  is  about  the  only  good 
suggestion  of  a  title  offered  to  take  the  place  of  "welfare" 
work. 

The  word  "employment"  conveys  too  limited  a  conception 
of  the  scope  and  activities  desired.  Intends  to  narrow  the 
work  to  hiring  only. 

The  word  "service"  suggests  a  broad  field  and  can  easily 
cover  the  broadest  conception  of  the  work. 

The  word  "service"  gives  to  the  man  in  charge  the  right 
viewpoint  and  approach  in  all  details  of  his  work. 

"Service"  has  been  accepted  by  the  leaders  in  American 
business  administration  as  a  fundamental  idea  essential  to 
success  in  business.  The  root  conception  of  success  in 
leadership  or  administration  is  that  the  executive  serves 
others.  This  significance  attaching  to  the  word  "service" 
gives  to  the  word  the  power  of  winning  the  minds  of  men 
of  large  affairs  and  suggesting  that  the  department  bearing 
this  title,  and  the  movement  designated  by  it  is  a  matter  of 
large  import  and  much  above  any  mere  process  of  "hiring 
and  firing." 

The  word  conveys  the  idea  of  ministry  and  belongs  to 
a  high  conception  of  management  in  its  relation  to  labor 
and  of  the  functions  of  a  staff  intermediating  between  the 
two. 

It  is  suggested  that  the  word  may  be  introduced  naturally 
by  degrees. 

1.  Employment  department    (usually  limited  in  scope). 

2.  Employment  and  service  department. 

3.  Service  and  employment  department. 


28  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

4.  Service   department,   or 

5.  If    desired     in     combinations,     such     as     "industrial 

service,"  "factory  service,"  etc. 

Many  objections  have  been  offered  to  other  titles  but  to 
the  word  "service  department"  only  one,  namely,  that  in 
some  industries  (automobile  particularly)  there  are  service 
departments  dealing  with  sales  and  customers.  This,  how- 
ever, constitutes  no  valid  objection  because  one  deals  with 
the  outside  and  the  other  with  the  inside.  The  one  could 
easily  be  designated  as  "sales  service"  and  would  not  be 
confused.  In  fact,  "service"  departments  as  contemplated 
exist  already  in  the  automobile  industry. 

The  objection  instanced  in  the  last  paragraph  may  be 
avoided  by  adopting  the  term  used  in  the  title  of  the  present 
chapter,  'The  Employees'  Service  Department." 

Service  Department  Includes  Employment 

As  to  one  important  point  we  may  note  that  the  memoran- 
dum is  not  so  clear  as  it  should  be — namely,  that  what  is 
called  the  service  department  should  include  the  functions  of 
the  employment  department.  Such  is  the  practice  in  several 
concerns — particularly  the  Bethlehem  Shipbuilding  Corpora- 
tion. A  similar  scheme  is  that  of  the  Hood  Rubber  Company, 
Watertown,  Massachusetts,  a  chart  of  which  is  here  repro- 
duced. (See  Figure  i.) 

One  Plan — Executive  Board 

An  interesting  form  of  organization  of  service  activities 
is  that  of  L.  Candee  and  Company,  New  Haven,  Connecticut, 
manufacturers  of  rubber  goods.  This  arrangement  provides 
for  committees  for  all  important  plant  activities,  including  a 
foremen's  co-operative  association  which  meets  weekly  to  dis- 
cuss methods  of  co-operation  and  plant  improvement.  An 
advisory  board,  made  up  of  executives  including  the  general 


EMPLOYEES'  SERVICE  DEPARTMENT 


29 


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30  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

superintendent  who  presides  at  meetings,  heads  the  structure. 
This  board  meets  weekly  and  considers  all  problems.  An 
executive  board,  consisting  of  the  officers  of  each  committee, 
and  headed  by  the  employment  manager,  acts  as  a  clearing- 
house for  all  service  activities.  This  board  meets  once  a  month 
and  makes  recommendations  which  are  passed  upon  by  the 
advisory  board,  and  if  approved,  are  then  handled  by  the  em- 
ployment manager  in  connection  with  the  proper  committee. 

Some  of  the  committees  have  functions  which  call  for 
special  notice.  The  restaurant  committee  is  made  up  of 
women  representatives  of  the  various  departments.  It  meets 
once  a  month  or  more  often  if  necessary,  and  acts  upon  com- 
plaints, suggestions,  rules,  policies  of  management,  and  other 
matters  related  to  the  work.  Each  member  of  the  committee 
wears  a  special  pin. 

The  publicity  and  promotion  committee  handles  all  pub- 
licity in  the  way  of  education,  pictures,  promotion  of  activities, 
and  municipal  development.  The  head  of  this  committee  was 
made  a  member  of  the  local  chamber  of  commerce  by  the 
company  so  that  he  and  the  committee  could  keep  in  close 
contact  with  the  affairs  of  the  community. 

A  glance  at  the  chart  of  the  organization  (Figure  2)  will 
show  the  relation  of  the  committees  to  each  other.  One  point 
worth  noting  is  that  each  committee  has  its  own  secretary 
who  keeps  careful  record  of  things  discussed  and  accomplished. 
Copies  of  the  minutes  of  meetings  are  sent  to  the  employment 
manager  who  heads  the  executive  board. 

Employment  and  Service  Department 

In  a  small  concern  it  is  better  to  have  an  "employment 
and  service"  department  which  divides  its  functions  of  employ- 
ment and  employees'  service  into  separate  co-ordinate  groups 
operating  under  one  general  head,  than  to  use  the  term  "service 
department"  to  cover  these  groups. 


EMPLOYEES     SERVICE   DEPARTMENT  31 

Many  small  plants  have  their  service  head  and  employment 
head  report  separately  to  the  superintendent  but  this  practice, 
in  the  opinion  of  the  author,  is  wasteful;  it  hinders  co-ordina- 
tion. The  work  of  employment  and  that  of  service  are  so 
closely  related  that  neither  can  function  to  best  advantage  by 
itself.  There  must  be  one  executive  who  co-ordinates  these 


foremen's 

I 

Meetings 

ADVISORY  BOARD 
Executives 


Executive  Board 
Employment  Manager 
CommitteeTeani  Officers 


1 

Labor-saving  Committee 

Overseers 

Figure  2.     Organization  Chart  of  Service  Activities 

Showing  the  relations  of  the  various  committees  to  each  other.     (Form  of  organization  of 
L.  Candee  and  Company.) 

two  branches  of  activity  and  relates  them  properly  to  the 
management. 

The  best  plan  of  organization  provides  for  one  person 
in  charge  of  both  employment  and  service,  assisted  by  a  cap- 
able executive  who  handles  employment  and  another  who 
directs  service. 


Plimpton  Press  Plan 

rAt  the  Plimpton  Press,  Norwood,  Massachusetts,  there  is 
a  personnel  department  which  has  five  divisions  called : 


32  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

1.  Employment 

2.  Maintenance 

3.  Training 

4.  Research 

5.  Community  relations 

The  plan  of  organization  can  readily  be  seen  by  consulting 
Figure  3.  The  maintenance  division  corresponds  to  what  is 
called  the  employees'  service  department  in  this  volume.  Em- 
ployment work  and  service  work  are  concomitant  activities 
and,  while  closely  connected  in  purpose,  should  be  distinguished 
in  name  at  least. 

Terminology 

If  activities  are  described  in  general  terms,  standards  to 
be  uniformly  observed  cannot  be  established  without  difficulty; 
and  accordingly  progress  will  be  retarded.  As  in  other  new 
fields  of  endeavor,  terms  must  be  made  specific  to  the  greatest 
degree  possible.  The  profession  of  employment  management 
has  not  yet  developed  a  terminology  that  is  in  general  use 
and  the  lack  of  a  satisfactory  terminology  is  making  for 
confusion.  Some  use  the  term  "service"  to  cover  all  per- 
sonnel and  employment  work,  while  others  use  it  in  a  limited 
sense  to  mean  a  special  phase  of  personnel  activity.  It  is  in 
the  latter  sense  that  the  term  is  used  in  this  book. 

What  "Employment"  Should  Imply 

The  term  "employment"  as  used  in  connection  with  a 
department  should  imply  the  entire  technique  of  hiring,  rating, 
assignment,  transfer,  promotion,  resignation,  and  discharge 
of  employees.  It  should  involve  study  and  adjustment  of  wage 
rates,  records  of  service,  development  of  sources  of  labor 
supply,  work  with  foremen,  leading  men,  and  other  employing 
executives.  It  should  distinctly  involve  close  connection  with 


EMPLOYEES     SERVICE   DEPARTMENT 


33 


34  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

the  discussion  and  settlement  of  policies  governing  the  employ- 
ment of  labor.  It  means  study  and  consideration  of  all  ele- 
ments involved  in  the  contract  of  employment,  including  the 
cost  of  living,  labor  legislation,  and  judicial  decisions. 

What  "Service"  Should  Imply 

The  term  "service"  was  explained  in  the  previous  chapter 
but  it  will  help  again  to  emphasize  its  connotation.  The  em- 
ployees' service  department  should  concern  itself  with  all 
matters  affecting  the  general  welfare  of  employees  in  so  far 
as  those  matters  have  connection  with  stabilizing  the  labor 
employed  and  making  it  more  efficient. 

What  the  Department  Should  Be 

Such  a  department  should  act  as  a  clearing-house  for  in- 
formation as  to  employee  activities.  It  should  consider 
measures  affecting  the  personnel  of  the  entire  organization' 
and  opportunities  for  educational  and  industrial  advancement 
of  workers.  Its  activities  should  include  work  for  safety, 
health,  and  proper  sanitation,  education  and  training  of  em- 
ployees. The  department  should  encourage  self -directed  sociaj 
activities  among  the  workers  and  tactfully  should  subordinate 
itself  to  such  activities.  In  fact  the  success  of  the  employees' 
service  department  may  fairly  be  judged  by  the  number  of 
self -conducted  employee  activities  in  the  concern.  Finally, 
the  employees'  service  department  should  co-operate  with  the 
employment  department  in  acting  as  a  friend  and  counselor  to 
the  workers.  Thus  the  service  department  will  reflect  the 
spirit  of  the  concern.  It  will  also  help  the  workers  to  find 
self-expression  fully  and  legitimately,  and  most  important  of 
all,  it  will  go  toward  insuring  that  co-operation  between  man- 
agement and  men  without  which  no  industrial  enterprise  may 
succeed  in  the  future. 


EMPLOYEES'  SERVICE  DEPARTMENT      35 

In  Large  Concerns — Department  of  Industrial  Relations 

In  concerns  of  sufficient  size  the  modern  tendency  seems 
to  be  directed  towards  the  creation  of  a  general  department 
of  industrial  relations  under  which  there  are  separate  divisions 
or  sections  devoted  to  employment,  service,  safety,  health, 
education  and  training,  and  other  activities.  This  is  the 
arrangement  adopted  by  the  B.  F.  Goodrich  Rubber  Company, 
the  Bethlehem  Shipbuilding  Corporation,  the  American  Inter- 
national Shipbuilding  Corporation,  the  Youngstown  Sheet 
Tube  Company,  the  Merchant  Shipbuilding  Corporation,  the 
International  Harvester  Company,  and  others. 

At  the  International  Harvester  Company  there  is  an  indus- 
trial relations  department  which  lias  its  center  in  the  general 
office.  The  activities  of  the  department  include  employment 
and  labor,  safety,  casualty  settlement,  women's  work,  medical 
and  sanitation  work,  and  other  activities  which  are  related. 
The  manager  of  industrial  relations  reports  to  the  manager 
of  manufacturing.  The  employment  managers  at  branch 
plants  report  to  the  plant  superintendent,  and  indirectly  to  the 
manager  of  industrial  relations. 

The  head  of  the  industrial  relations  department  should  be 
an  executive  who  ranks  equally  with  the  head  of  the  most 
important  departments,  such  recognition  involving  standing, 
authority,  salary,  active  participation  in  the  shaping  of  labor 
policies,  and  in  the  adjustment  of  differences  between  the 
company  and  its  workers.  Otherwise  it  will  be  difficult  to 
bring  about  the  necessary  co-operation  of  superintendents  and 
foremen  who  are  unfamiliar  with  or  unsympathetic  to  the  new 
ideas  of  industrial  management. 

So  important  is  this  function  becoming  that  large  concerns 
like  the  Bethlehem  Steel  Corporation  are  assigning  the  duties 
of  this  job  to  men  who  report  directly  to  the  president  of  the 
concern.  They  are  generally  given  the  title  of  "Assistant  to 
the  President." 


36  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

Sometimes  Called  "Labor  Department" 

At  the  Goodyear  Tire  and  Rubber  Company,  where  about 
25,000  are  employed,  the  department  is  called  the  'labor 
department"  and,  according  to  the  management,  is  "a  means 
employed  to  keep  the  factory  manager  in  touch  with  the  work- 
men in  the  factory.  It  aims  to  see  that  all  workmen  get  a 
square  deal,  and  to  provide  an  opportunity  for  a  fair  hearing 
for  everyone.  It  also  aims  to  keep  in  touch  with  the  general 
labor  situation  in  the  factory,  in  order  to  foresee  and  prevent 
unrest  and  discontentment  and  to  feel  the  pulse  of  the  labor 
situation  generally,  in  Akron  and  throughout  the  country." 

The  functions  of  the  labor  department  cover: 

1.  General  supervision  of  working  conditions 

2.  Employment,  discharge,  and  transfer 

3.  Labor  adjustments 

4.  Legal  counsel 

5.  Plant  police 

6.  Fire  department 

7.  Accident  prevention 

8.  Accident  compensation 

9.  Factory  mail 

10.  Insurance  plan 

11.  Health  supervision 

12.  Emergency  hospitals 

13.  Factory  library 

14.  Factory  newspaper 

15.  Educational  work 

1 6.  Alien  division 

17.  Restaurant  service 

1 8.  Retirement  awards 

19.  Suggestion  system 

20.  Housing  supervision  and  financial  supervision 

21.  Bureau  of  athletics 


EMPLOYEES'  SERVICE  DEPARTMENT      37 

All  these  functions  extend  to  the  subsidiary  plants  of  the 
company.  'There  is  no  welfare  department/'  says  the  com- 
pany. "All  activities  are  on  a  businesslike,  self-supporting 
basis.  The  principles  followed  are  to  help  those  who  help 
themselves  and  to  attract  men  of  judgment  to  become  asso- 
ciated with  the  company." 

Sometimes — "Personnel  Department" 

At  the  Thomas  A.  Edison  plant  at  Orange,  New  Jersey, 
what  is  known  as  the  "personnel  service  department"  is  a 
department  of  the  administrative  service  division.  The  per- 
sonnel department  reports  to  the  chairman  of  the  board  of 
directors.  The  principal  functions  of  this  department  are  five: 

1.  Employment 

2.  Adjustment 

3.  Betterment 

4.  Safety 

5.  Health 

The  "betterment"  section  deals  with  personnel  insurance, 
plant  newspaper,  a  suggestion  system,  and  other  service  fea- 
tures. 

Under  Whom  Shall  the  Department  Function? 

In  organizing  an  employees'  service  department  or  division 
the  question  generally  arises:  To  whom  should  the  head  of 
the  department  report  ?  In  a  small  plant  it  is  best  to  have  the 
head  of  the  service  work  report  to  the  employment  chief  who 
in  turn  is  responsible  to  the  general  manager  or  superintendent. 
Another  good  plan  is  to  have  the  person  in  charge  of  the 
employment  and  service  department  report  directly  to  the  vice- 
president  or  other  head  of  the  concern  who  can  devote  the 
greater  portion  of  his  time  to  employee  relations. 


38  LABOR  MAINTENANCE 

General  Manager 

At  any  rate,  in  order  that  the  head  of  the  employment 
and  service  department  may  have  the  necessary  authority  his 
department  should  function  under  the  official  who  is  superior 
to  all  departments,  that  is,  someone  very  close  to  the  highest 
active  executive,  if  not  the  highest  executive  himself.  Figure 
4  represents  the  modern  idea  of  relationship. 


General   Manager 

1 

i 

Option 


Head  Head 

Employment  Division  |  [Employees'  Service  Division | 


Figure  4.     Chart  Showing  the  Relation  of  Employment  and  Service  Manager 
to  Other  Administrators ' 

In  order  to  carry  on  the  Work  of  the  service  department  successfully,  the  recognized  standing 
of  the  employment  and  service  manager  should  be  equal  to  that  of  other    department 

executives. 


Works  Manager 

Some  argue  that  the  works  manager  should  supervise  the 
work  of  the  employees'  service  department  head,  but  in  the 
author's  opinion  this  is  wrong  in  principle.  The  works  man- 
ager should  in  all  cases  be  kept  in  close  touch  with  the  work 
of  the  employees'  service  department  but  the  general  manager 
should  be  the  one  to  set  policies  and  see  that  they  are  carried 
out.  The  works  manager  should  be  left  free  to  devote  his 
energies  to  production.  An  exception  to  this  now  current 
in  industrial  practice  appears  in  the  safety  work  (and  in  some 


EMPLOYEES'  SERVICE  DEPARTMENT 


39 


instances,  trade  training  work)  of  the  plant.    Considering  the 
works  manager  as  one  engaged  in  supervision  of  production 


Industrial  Relations  Chief 

i 

Employment 

Safety 

First 

Medical 

Employees' 
Service 

Figure  5.      Departmental  Classification  of  Industrial  Relations  Activities  in 
a  Large  Establishment 

and  thus  the  operating  head,  some  concerns  have  the  safety 
superior  or  training  superior  directly  responsible  to  the  works 


President  of  the  Company 

i 

|  Chief  of  Industrial  Relations  Department  j 

1 

j  Director  of  Employees'  Service  Department 

| 

1 

|  Educational  | 

[Personal  Welfare] 

1 

Factory 
Schools 

Suggestion  ' 
System 

Free  Leqal 

Aid 

Housing 

Alien  Aid 

Mutual  Benefits: 
Sickness  Insurance 
Life  Insurance 
Pensions 

Plant 
Paper 
Bulletins 
Posters 

Follow-  up 
for  Promotions 

Recreation 
and 
Amusements 

Personal 
Consultations  • 

General  Working 
Conditions 

Domestic  Relations 
Co-operative  Buying 
Family  Welfare 
Baby  Welfare 
Visiting  Nurses, 
Home  Hygiene 
Promotiorrof  Thrift 
and  Savings 
Home  Garden5 

Employees' 
Library 

Shop 
Talka 

j 

Co-operation  with 
outside  Social 
and  Civic  Aqencies 

Movies 

5 

Aiding  in 
Patriotic 
Activities 

Figure  6.     Chart  of  the  Functions  of  the  Employee's  Service  Department  in 
a  Large  Establishment 

Health  and  safety  activities  are  not  included,  as  this  work  is  assigned  to  separate  depart- 
ments. 


40 


LABOR   MAINTENANCE 


manager  so  far  as  operation  is  concerned,  but  policies  are  con- 
trolled by  the  general  manager.  This,  perhaps,  may  be  the 
more  practical  method  under  present  conditions  or  until  in- 
dustrial managers  can  "sell"  the  new  idea  to  their  assistants. 


Industry 

Number 
of 
Estab- 
lish- 
ments 

Number 
of 
Employees 

Welfare 
Work  Ad- 
ministered 
by 

Establish- 
ments 
Having 

Establishments  Report- 
ing as  to  Effect  of 
Welfare  Work  upon 

Employer  Alone 

1| 

Iff 
tfe 

H 

Outside  Agencies 
Co-operating 

Welfare  Secretary 
Employed 

Time 
Lost 

Stability  of 
Force 

Improve- 
ment 

No  Change 

Improve- 
ment 

No  Change 

Automobiles  

9 
5 

7 

13 
5 
5 

8 
15 

49 

10 

>4o 

12 

12 
9 

7 
10 

17 

10 

9 

47 

8  IS 
60 
57 

95,683 
23,930 

13,539 

19,498 
51,040 
36,030 

25,326 
1  17,638 

143,882 

2  27,102 
213,143 
34,807 

25,448 
13,814 

9,174 

12,769 
60,642 
393,583 

42,847 
125,148 

1  66,447 

71,221 
1   138,793 

6 

i 

2 

3 

I 

2 

2 
12 

28 

I 
33 
7 

5 

2 
3 

I 

4 

5 
17 

14 
41 
31 

3 

4 

5 

10 

4 
3 

6 
3 

21 

9 

7 
5 

7 
7 

4 

5 
ii 
6 

4 
30 

I 
19 
26 

3 

I 

3 

8 
2 

4 

2 

6 
12 

I 
12 

4 
S 

3 

3 
3 

8 

3 

20 

ll 

3 

i 

3 

10 

I 
4 

2 
3 

16 

2 
9 

I 

2 
3 

2 

4 
4 

I 

6 
30 

8 
16 

10 

5 
3 

4 
6 

2 
2 

i 

18 

2 
IS 
6 

6 

2 

6 

t 

2 

4 
18 

2 
21 
IS 

i 
i 

i 

6 

2 

2 

3 

I 

2 

I 

I 
2 

2 
4 

2 

3 
3 

6 
I 

2 

3 
5 

18 

2 
9 
3 

7 

I 

3 

4 
5 

2 

3 

10 

3 
22 
19 

2 
I 
2 

X 

8 

X 

i 

X 

I 

2 

I 

*3 

2 
3 

Boots  and  shoes  
Chemicals  and  allied 
products      

Clothing     and    fur- 
nishings   

Electrical  supplies.  . 
Explosives  

Fine    machines    and 
instruments  

Food  products  

Foundries    and    ma- 
chine shops. 

Gas  and  electric  light 
and  power  

Mining,  coal  

Mining,   other  than 
coal 

Offices        

Paper     and     paper 
goods   

Printing    and    pub- 
lishing   

Railroads,  electric.  . 
Railroads,  steam.  .  . 
Rubber  and  compo- 

Stores     

Telegraph  and  tele- 
phone   

Textiles              

Other  industries.  .  .  . 
Total 

431 

*   r,66l,504 

231 

200 

154 

141 

160 

29 

136 

38 

1  Not  including  I  establishment,  not  reported. 

J  Not  including  2  establishments,  not  reported. 

«  Individual  plants  of  I  corporation  have  been  counted  as  separate  establishments. 

*  Not  including  5  establishments,  not  reported. 

Figure  7.     Table  Showing  Effect  of  Service  Work  as  Administered  in  431 

Concerns 


EMPLOYEES'  SERVICE  DEPARTMENT      41 

Industrial  Relations  Manager 

In  very  large  concerns,  like  those  previously  described  in 
this  chapter,  where  a  department  of  industrial  relations  is 
created,  the  employees'  service  division  or  section  will  report 
directly  to  the  industrial  relations  manager.  Figures  5  and  6, 
prepared  by  Ernest  C  Gould,  describe  the  form  of  organiza- 
tion generally  adopted.  It  will  be  noticed  that  the  functions 
of  safety  and  health  are  not  included  in  the  employees'  service 
division  but  have  their  own  head  who  reports  directly  to  the 
industrial  relations  chief.  This  is  the  plan  which  must  neces- 
sarily exist  in  a  large  concern. 

An  interesting  table  (Figure  7)  has  been  prepared  by  the 
United  States  Department  of  Labor  showing  how  service  work 
is  administered  in  431  concerns  surveyed;  also  showing  the 
effect  of  service  activities  upon  time  lost  and  the  stability  of 
the  working  force. 


CHAPTER  IV 

INTERNAL  ORGANIZATION  OF  THE  SERVICE 
DEPARTMENT 

Size  of  the  Department 

The  size  of  the  department  will  depend  upon  the  funds 
available  for  service  work,  the  number  employed,  and  the 
extent  of  activities  planned,  as  well  as  the  physical  space 
available  for  the  department's  use.  Here  a  word  of  caution 
is  necessary.  Too  often  the  mistake  is  made  of  starting  service 
work  with  a  splurge  and  attempting  to  encompass  every  pos- 
sible activity  with  little  thought  of  the  difficulties  involved. 
Service  work  is  sometimes  overdone  in  the  heat  of  enthusiasm 
of  a  new  executive  who  wants  to  make  a  "showing."  So 
many  new  activities  are  started  at  once  that  the  worker  soon 
finds  himself  in  the  position  of  an  observer  at  a  three-ring 
circus;  he  cannot  concentrate  his  attention  on  any  one  thing. 
Soon  the  novelty  of  the  new  stunts  wears  off,  his  enthusiasm 
wanes  and  no  distinct  impression  has  been  made. 

Service  work  should  begin  in  a  small  way  and  with  a 
small  staff  of  paid  workers  whose  duty  is  merely  that  of 
nominal  supervision.  The  real  responsibility  for  initiation  and 
management  of  service  activities  should  be  placed  upon  the 
plant  workers.  The  more  the  workers  themselves  can  be 
induced  to  take  part  the  lower  will  be  the  costs  of  administra- 
tion and  the  more  satisfactory  will  be  the  results. 

Office   Organization — System 

One  thing  which  the  central  authority  can  contribute  is 
orderly  operation  of  the  department  activities,  however 

42 


SERVICE   DEPARTMENT  ORGANIZATION  43 

initiated.  The  conduct  of  the  office  should  be  as  systematic 
and  efficient  as  in  any  well-regulated  business  office.  Every- 
thing should  be  kept  neat  and  clean.  All  desks  should  be  kept 
clear  of  finished  matter,  which  should  be  filed  or  despatched 
to  the  proper  person.  The  tendency  is  to  be  careless  and  allow 
old  papers,  magazines,  and  newspapers  to  litter  up  the  desks. 
It  should  be  an  inflexible  rule  that  every  desk  in  the  office 
must  be  cleared  off  before  the  workday  is  over  and  all  mail 
of  that  day  answered  unless  further  action  on  it  is  necessary. 
Suitable  desk  trays  should  be  provided  for  papers  according 
to  their  classification.  No  papers  of  an  official  nature  should 
be  allowed  to  leave  the  office.  If  papers  must  be  taken  out, 
a  memorandum  signed  by  the  person  who  receives  them  and 
stating  the  character  of  the  paper  and  date  when  removed, 
should  be  placed  in  the  appropriate  place  in  the  file.  Ob- 
servance of  this  suggestion  will  prevent  the  loss  of  papers  and 
lessen  the  time-wasting  effort  to  locate  them. 

Each  paper  that  comes  into  the  office  should  be  dated  and, 
if  possible,  stamped  with  the  time  of  its  arrival.  All  outgoing 
correspondence  should  be  signed  by  the  head  of  the  depart- 
ment except  in  special  cases.  This  will  avoid  the  confusion 
incident  to  persons  in  the  office  conducting  correspondence 
involving  the  business  of  the  department  without  knowledge 
of  the  managing  authority. 

Filing  and  Record 

All  papers  should  be  filed  by  subjects.  Important  cor- 
respondence should  be  alphabetically  filed  with  cross-filed 
reference  by  subject.  For  example:  All  reports  and  plans 
on  housing  should  be  filed  under  that  head;  but  should  an 
important  letter  come  in  regarding  these  plans  or  reports  or 
otherwise  have  close  connection  with  the  subject,  that  letter 
would  be  filed  according  to  the  name  of  the  writer  or  corpora- 
tion— let  us  say  the  Universal  Construction  Company — and 


44  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

a  special  sheet  would  be  made  out  referring  to  this  corre- 
spondence as  follows,  this  sheet  to  be  filed  under  "Housing": 


Date: ., 

From:      Universal  Construction  Company 

Subject:  Housing 

Note:       New  plans  and  estimates  will  be  ready  by, 


An  excellent  method  for  keeping  record  of  daily  events 
and  achievements  is  the  daily  diary.  Such  a  diary  makes  it 
easy  to  give  reports  of  the  department  for  stated  periods. 

A  complete  list  of  the  personnel  of  the  department  should 
be  kept  in  the  office  of  the  head  of  the  department.  This 
list  should  note  the  particular  job  of  each  individual  and  in  a 
sentence  or  two  describe  the  function  performed  by  him. 

The  Executive  Always  Accessible 

The  office  of  the  executive  head  should  always  be  open 
to  everyone.  A  certain  amount  of  privacy  here  is  necessary 
but  the  danger  of  closeting  oneself  in  a  sanctum  sanctorum 
should  be  avoided.  The  workmen  should  feel  that  they  can 
reach  the  head  of  the  service  department  at  any  time  and 
for  this  reason  it  will  be  well  for  the  head  to  set  aside  definite 
office  hours  for  meeting  workers.  Too  much  time  and 
patience  are  lost  when  a  man  leaves  his  job  to  see  the  service 
head  and  finding  him  out  has  to  return  at  some  other  time. 
It  would  be  well  for  the  head  to  take  his  lunch  at  an  hour 
different  from  the  regular  lunch  hour  of  the  concern  in  order 
to  enable  workers  to  see  him  without  loss  of  their  time  and 
that  of  the  company. 

Conferences 

At  frequent  intervals,  preferably  weekly,  the  head  of  the 
department  should  hold  conferences  of  his  assistants  and  other 


SERVICE   DEPARTMENT  ORGANIZATION  45 

important  members  of  the  personnel  on  problems  and  matters 
affecting  their  work.  The  subjects  for  discussion  should  be 
carefully  prepared  beforehand  and  due  notice  given  to  those 
participating.  The  advantages  of  the  conference  idea  are  so 
great  that  to  neglect  this  simple  method  of  bringing  all  minds 
in  the  department  together  to  discuss  and  agree  upon  a  com- 
mon purpose  and  method  is  to  fail  as  an  executive.  Con- 
ferences help  to  make  workers  think  about  their  jobs,  they 
clarify  matters  of  policy,  stimulate  enthusiasm,  and  develop 
efficient  methods  of  work.  They  save  the  time  it  would  take 
the  executive  to  explain  the  same  thing  to  each  member  of 
his  staff  personally,  and  promote  co-ordination  and  teamwork 
among  department  workers. 

Special  Studies  and  Reports 

In  addition  to  conferences  the  employees'  service  depart- 
ment should  plan  for  special  studies  and  reports  by  members 
of  the  staff.  Such  subjects  might  include  housing,  transporta- 
tion, naturalization,  safety,  sources  of  friction,  opportunities 
for  education  and  trade  training,  and  others  of  similar  nature. 

It  should  be  the  duty  of  every  service  department  to  pre- 
pare a  monthly  report  of  its  activity,  summarizing  events  and 
plans  under  appropriate  headings  so  that  an  executive  can,  at 
a  glance,  know  what  the  department  is  doing.  Such  reports 
should  be  simple,  concise  statements  of  fact.  Managers  are 
impatient  with  the  flowery,  emotional  outbursts  which  some- 
times come  to  them.  A  good  form  of  report  would  be  the 
following: 

Report  for  (date)] 

I.  Summary  of  Activity 

A.  Health 

B.  Safety 

C.  Educational 


4  LABOR  MAINTENANCE  y 

D.  Social 

E.  Special 

II.  Summary  of  Problems 
(Enumerated) 

III.  Suggestions  and  Recommendations  (Enumerated) 

Copies  of  these  reports  should  be  sent  to  the  general 
manager,  the  works  manager  or  superintendent,  the  employ- 
ment manager,  and  such  other  officials  as  the  general  manager 
may  designate.  Two  copies  should  remain  on  file  in  the  office. 

Keeping  in  Touch  with  Other  Concerns 

One  of  the  first  steps  of  the  department  should  be  to  send 
a  request  to  as  many  concerns  as  possible  to  be  placed  on 
their  mailing  lists  for  copies  of  their  employees'  newspaper 
or  magazine.  Many  valuable  suggestions  may  be  obtained  in 
this  way.  Often  the  management  will  hesitate  in  undertaking 
a  particular  activity  for  fear  it  will  not  work  but  if  it  is  seen 
that  the  idea  has  been  tried  and  has  succeeded,  the  experiment 
will  often  be  made.  A  service  superintendent  should  not, 
however,  fall  into  the  common  error  of  believing  that  because 
a  plan  worked  well  elsewhere  it  will  work  with  his  plant  where 
conditions  may  be  entirely  different  and  preclude  the  possibility 
of  success.  On  the  other  hand,  it  is  even  more  dangerous 
to  assume  an  attitude  of  hidebound  conservatism.  There  is 
a  happy  mean  based  upon  the  use  of  common  sense  and  knowl- 
edge of  the  workers'  desires. 

Planning  Activities 

Often  the  company  executives'  conception  of  the  em- 
ployees' service  department  is  that  it  is  a  dumping  ground  for 
matters  which  concern  no  other  department  directly,  or  that 
it  is  little  more  than  an  entertainment  bureau.  This  is  owing 
to  a  lack  of  understanding  of  the  principles  involved  in  service: 


SERVICE   DEPARTMENT  ORGANIZATION  47 

work  both  by  the  management  and  by  those  in  charge  of  service 
work.  No  change  may  be  expected  in  this  point  of  view 
until  a  well-defined  program  is  developed  and  its  purposes 
appreciated  by  all  concerned. 

The  department  should  not  only  undertake  certain  activi- 
ties but  it  should  also  lay  out  a  plan  of  proposed  future  work. 
This  plan  should  be  discussed  with  the  management  and  with 
others  interested,  but  should  not  be  announced  until  actually 
in  operation.  Too  many  service  heads  fall  into  the  mistake 
of  positively  announcing  plans  which  are  only  on  paper  and 
which,  owing  to  unforeseen  conditions,  must  later  be  changed 
or  canceled.  Promise  and  performance  must  come  together, 
if  the  confidence  of  the  management  and  workers  is  to  be 
secured  and  maintained. 

Making  New  Workers  Feel  at  Home 

In  planning  department  activities  considerable  attention 
should  be  given  to  making  new  workers  feel  at  home.  This 
is  vital.  The  treatment  and  first  impression  one  receives  upon 
entering  a  new  enterprise  are  never  forgotten.  It  is  also 
specially  important  to  remember  that  labor  turnover  statistics 
generally  bring  out  the  fact  clearly  that  the  greatest  turnover 
exists  among  those  employed  less  than  six  months.  The  fol- 
lowing figures  from  a  concern  employing  over  10,000  are 
typical.  Of  2,574  wn°  left  the  plant  in  a  particular  month — 

74  or    2.9%  were  employed  for     2  weeks  or  less 
352    "    13-7  "  from  2  to  4  weeks 

1,442   "   36.0         "  "  "      i    "   3  months 

511    "    19.8         "  "  "      3    "   6      " 

137   "     5-3         "          "  "      6   "  9      " 

58   '      2.3  "      9   «I2      « 

In  another  plant  which  employs  about  5,000  the  figures 
for  the  same  month  in  which  the  above-mentioned  condi- 


48  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

tions   occurred   show   that  out   of   a  total    number  of  959 
terminations — 

195  or  20.3%  were  employed  for     2  weeks  or  less 


323  "  33-6 

239  "  25.0 

114  "  12.0 

50  "  5.2 

20  "  2.0 


(C 


(C 


from  2  to  4  weeks 
"       I    "    3  months 
"      3    «    6      " 
"      6   "   9      " 
"      9   "12      " 


The  remaining  18  men  were  employed  for  I  to  3  years. 

Intelligent  effort  at  reducing  this  instability  will  therefore 
consider  the  conditions  surrounding  the  entrance  of  the  new 
employee  to  his  job. 

Instructions  for  "Interviews" 

The  author,  in  the  course  of  his  work  as  employment 
advisor  to  several  concerns,  established  the  following  outline 
of  instruction  as  part  of  the  standard  practice  for  the  employ- 
ment and  service  departments.  Results  were  highly  gratifying. 
The  men  employed  felt  that  the  company  was  taking  a  personal 
interest  in  making  them  at  home  and  did  not  merely  throw 
them  into  the  shop  with  the  usual  curt  directions. 

Instruction  is  given  to  all  interviewers  in  the  employment 
department,  assisted  by  representatives  of  the  service  depart- 
ment, to  inform  all  applicants  clearly  regarding: 

1.  Rate  of  wages  paid,  bonus  plans,  and  other  wage 

information. 

2.  Hours  of  work. 

3.  Opportunities  for  advancement  and  something  about 

service  features.    A  booklet  describing  service  fea- 
tures and  other  conditions  of  employment  should 
be  given  to  the  applicant. 
,         4.  Necessity  for  steady  attendance. 

5.  Housing  possibilities. 

6.  Opportunities  for  training. 


SERVICE   DEPARTMENT  ORGANIZATION  49 

According  to  this  plan,  at  the  completion  of  the  interview 
and  the  signing  up  of  the  new  employee,  the  conductor  (used 
in  large  firms  to  conduct  new  employees  to  the  shops)  will 
take  the  man  to  the  appropriate  department  and  there: 

1.  Introduce  him  to  the  foreman  or  other  superior. 

2.  Introduce  him  to  some  of  the  men  with  whom  he  is  to 

be  associated  in  the  work. 

3.  Point  out  the  location  of  toilets,  locker,  and  other 

matter  provided  for  his  convenience. 

About  ten  days  or  two  weeks  later  a  member  of  the  service 
department  should  follow  the  man  up  and  acquaint  him  with 
the  service  activities  which  are  being  conducted  for  his  benefit. 
Where  possible  the  employment  department  should  interview 
the  worker  at  this  time  to  learn  how  he  is  getting  along.  In 
this  manner  dissatisfaction  on  the  part  of  employees  may  be 
determined  at  its  inception  and  the  heart  of  the  labor  turnover 
problem  reached. 

Greeting  New  Employees — The  Wrong  Way 

It  is  the  common  experience  of  workmen  who  look  for 
jobs  with  certain  plants  to  find  the  first  person  who  greets 
them  to  be  a  policeman  who  is  on  special  duty  in  the  employ- 
ment department  and  whose  function  it  is  to  maintain  order 
in  the  waiting-room  (if  one  exists)  or  to  conduct  new  workers 
to  their  jobs  in  the  plant  after  they  have  been  hired.  Where 
this  is  the  practice  the  new  worker  hardly  gets  a  good  impres- 
sion of  the  plant  and  often  through  the  rough  treatment  he 
receives  at  the  hands  of  these  officers,  becomes  soured  at 
employers  in  general  and  at  his  new  concern  in  particular. 
This  is  a  phase  of  the  process  of  hiring  which  is  neglected 
by  many  employers  who  sincerely  want  to  do  the  right  thing 
and  perhaps  spend  much  money  in  organizing  their  employ- 
ment and  service  work. 


50  LABOR  MAINTENANCE 

Greeting  Employees — The  Right  Way 

Some  employers  have  overcome  this  difficulty  by  taking 
particular  pains  to  secure  the  right  man  to  be  the  first  point 
of  contact  between  the  man  looking  for  a  job  and  the  manage- 
ment which  offers  it  to  him.  One  such  establishment  uses  its 
men  who  have  been  employed  for  some  time  but  owing  to 
defective  eyesight  are  unable  to  continue  on  their  regular  work. 
These  men  take  care  of  those  who  are  waiting  to  be  inter- 
viewed and  conduct  those  who  are  hired  to  their  foremen.  In- 
stead of  a  gruff  custodian  of  order  who  leads  a  man  to  his 
job  as  if  he  were  under  arrest,  we  have  a  man  who  would 
say  to  the  new  fellow-worker — "This  is  a  pretty  fine  place 
to  work  in ;  I've  been  here  fifteen  years ;  you  get  a  square  deal 
here" — and  make  him  at  home  with  the  conditions  of  his  new 
job. 

Utilizing  the  Rulebook 

The  employee's  rulebook  offers  one  good  method  of  wel- 
coming the  new  worker.  On  the  first  pages  of  the  book 
should  be  a  welcoming  letter  to  the  new  employee  signed  by 
the  president  of  the  company,  and  bearing  his  signature  in 
facsimile. 

The  rulebook  should  be  made  of  permanent  value  to  the 
worker  by  printing  a  two-year  calendar  on  the  back  cover, 
and  on  the  inside  of  the  front  cover  a  list  of  terms  used  in 
the  business  of  the  company,  with  definitions.  A  few  pages 
of  the  booklet,  which  should  be  of  convenient  pocket  size, 
might  well  be  devoted  to  practical  information  which  would 
help  the  worker  in  his  trade.  Then  the  employee  would  find 
the  rulebook  of  value  enough  to  carry  it  with  him  constantly. 
The  usual  rulebook  is  given  a  single  reading,  more  or  less 
hasty,  and  thrown  away.  A  company  wastes  an  opportunity 
if  it  does  not  have  a  helpful  and  interesting  rulebook. 

The  plant  newspaper   (see  Chapter  XX)   offers  another 


SERVICE   DEPARTMENT  ORGANIZATION  51 

good  way  of  welcoming  the  new  worker.  An  excellent  ex- 
ample is  shown  in  the  following  passage  from  Center  Punch 
published  by  the  American  Multigraph  Company,  Cleveland, 
Ohio. 

When  you  go  into  a  country  or  a  strange  place  you  are 
grateful  to  the  man  who  extends  to  you  the  hand  of  fellow- 
ship, to  the  one  who  makes  you  feel  at  home. 

Remember  the  new  employees  on  the  job.  They  are 
strangers  within  our  gates.  Especially  at  this  time  when 
we  are  increasing  our  force  are  we  afforded  an  opportunity 
of  showing  new  employees  that  we  are  interested  in  them 
and  that  we  are  anxious  for  them  to  be  satisfied.  A  little 
effort  on  your  part  can  make  the  newcomers  feel  at  home 
and  will  show  them  the  feeling  of  co-operation  you  have 
helped  to  build  up.  You  can  do  more  in  five  minutes  to 
establish  the  right  spirit  while  their  impressions  are  forming 
than  you  can  in  many  days  after  they  have  formed  their 
opinions  of  you  and  your  company. 

In  case  the  newcomers  are  foreigners,  there  is  even 
greater  obligation  to  treat  them  as  guests,  and  make  them 
feel  welcome. 

It  is  the  privilege  of  every  American  at  this  time  to 
make  the  strangers  from  other  lands  feel  that  we  appreciate 
their  help  in  winning  this  war. 

Treat  them  with  the  same  courtesy  and  kindness  that 
you  would  desire  if  you  were  a  stranger  in  a  foreign  country. 

Your  personal  contact  with  foreign  fellow-workers  can 
HELP  TO  UNITE  ALL  RACES  IN  AMERICA  to  win  this  war. 

"Follow-Up"  Men 

Some  plants  have  a  "follow-up"  man  who  looks  after  the 
new  employee  and  makes  sure  that  he  is  contented.  As  long 
as  this  is  done  without  anything  smacking  of  the  paternal 
it  is  a  splendid  effort  and  fruitful  in  results.  Another  plan 
is  to  have  a  "reception  committee"  of  workers  or  one  man 
designated  in  each  department  or  shop  to  meet  new  employees 
and  acquaint  them  with  the  surroundings.  Such  work  would 


52  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

best  be  done  by  volunteers  who  act  in  this  capacity  on  com- 
pany time.  Here  again  warning  is  necessary  against  over- 
doing the  matter.  To  be  oversolicitous  about  the  new  em- 
ployee is  likely  to  bring  a  decidedly  unfavorable  reaction. 

Other  Activities  Outlined 

Among  the  activities  which  generally  come  within  the  scope 
of  an  employment  and  service  department  are  the  following: 
The  list  is  included  here  for  the  sake  of  completeness  and  for 
the  suggestions  it  may  have  for  those  interested  in  labor  main- 
tenance in  all  its  phases. 

I.  Employment  Division 

1.  Development  of  sources  of  labor  supply  and  co-operation. 

2.  Job  analysis. 

3.  Selection  of  applicants. 

4.  Assignment  to  jobs. 

5.  Transfers. 

6.  Promotion. 

7.  Discharge. 

8.  Job  adjustment. 

9.  Handling  absences. 

10.  Employment  records  and  statistics. 

11.  Foremen  conferences  on  employment  problems. 

12.  Reports  of  grievances. 

13.  Wage  studies  and  adjustments. 

14.  Studies  of  cost  of  living,  standardization  of  work,  economic 

movements. 

15.  Co-operation  with  other  employment  heads  in  developing 
the  technique  of  employment  management. 

16.  Co-operation  with  service  division  in  assisting  workers  in 

their  problems. 

17.  Shop  committees. 

II.  Service  Division 

A.  Health 

I.  First-aid  clinic. 


SERVICE    DEPARTMENT  ORGANIZATION  53 

2.  Hospital. 

3.  Dental  clinic. 

4.  Physical  examination  of  applicants  for  employment. 

5.  Periodic  examination  of  employees. 

6.  General  medical  assistance  to  employees. 

7.  Visiting  nurse. 

8.  Oculist. 

9.  Control  of  sanitary  conditions  in  and  about  the 

plant. 

10.  Co-operation   with   local   and   national   health   or- 

ganizations. 

11.  Studies   in   occupational  diseases  and  methods  of 

improving  the  health  of  employees. 

12.  First-aid  instruction. 

13.  Convalescent  homes. 

14.  Restrooms. 

B.  Safety  promotion 

1.  Organized  inspection  and  reports  on  conditions. 

2.  Introducing  safeguards  against  injury. 

3.  Safety  instruction  and  education. 

4.  Organization  and  development  of  safety  and  sug- 

gestion  committees. 

5.  Fire    drills   and   organizations   of   fire   prevention 

work. 

6.  Records  and  statistics. 

C.  Education 

1.  Technical  and  trade  training. 

2.  Instruction  in  business  practice. 

3.  Americanization. 

4.  Literary  clubs  and  classes. 

5.  Co-operation  with  general,  trade,  and  technical  in- 

stitutions. 

6.  Library  work. 

7.  Shop  talks. 

8.  Foremen  training. 

D.  Housing 

1.  Registry  of  rooms,  apartments,  and  houses  avail- 

able to  employees. 

2.  Bulletins  of  information. 

3.  Supervision  of  company  houses. 


54  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

4.  Improvement   of   housing   standards   in   the   com- 

munity. 

5.  Assistance  in  new  housing   developments. 

E.  Social  Activities 

1.  Athletics. 

2.  Dramatics. 

3.  Musical  work  (band,  orchestra,  chorus,  glee  club, 

etc.). 

4.  Dancing. 

5.  Outing  and  picnics. 

6.  Vacation  camps. 

7.  Community  enterprises   (pageants,  festivals,  etc.). 

8.  Clubhouse. 

F.  Special  Activities 

1.  Restaurant  or  lunchroom. 

2.  Employee's  newspaper  or  magazine. 

3.  Group  insurance. 

4.  Sickness  insurance. 

5.  Mutual  benefit  associations. 

6.  Pension  funds. 

7.  Legal  aid. 

8.  Profit-sharing. 

9.  Co-operative  buying. 

10.  Home  gardening. 

11.  Day  nursery. 

12.  Employee's   bank,   thrift   clubs,   savings   and   loan 

associations,  etc. 

13.  Transportation  information  and  arrangements. 

14.  Employees'  committees. 

15.  Training  in  domestic  science. 

The  Budget— The  Department's  Estimate 

Making  up  a  budget  is  often  one  of  the  exasperating  tasks 
of  an  executive.  When  a  department  has  been  in  operation 
for  some  time  it  is  a  fairly  simple  matter  to  take  the  budget 
for  the  previous  year,  add  the  items  which  mean  new  expendi- 
tures, and  make  an  estimate  of  the  amount  required  by  such 
new  items.  At  the  first  organization  of  the  department,  when 
previous  records  are  not  available,  it  will  be  necessary: 


SERVICE   DEPARTMENT  ORGANIZATION  55 

1.  To  make  a  complete  outline  of  proposed  activities  which 
will  require  an  appropriation,  and  then  make  careful  estimates 
of  the  cost  of  such  activities. 

2.  To  itemize  the  staff  requirements  of  the  department 
personnel  indicating  how  much  each  is  to  receive  in  salary  or 
wages.     Salaries  and  wages  are  usually  determined  by  the 
management  or  by  the  prevailing  rates  paid  by  plants  of  the 
same  size  having  similar  departments.    The  salaries  of  service 
directors  or  managers  range  from  $1,200  to  $5,000  per  year 
depending  upon  the  scope  of  activities  engaged  in,  the  training 
and  experience  of  the  person  in  charge  of  such  activities,  and 
the  degree  of  enlightenment  of  the  management. 

3.  To  determine  what  rent,  if  any,  is  to  be  charged  to  the 
department,  and  the  amount  of  furniture  and  supplies  to  be 
arranged  for.     Generally  the  cost  of  furniture  and  supplies, 
heat,  light,  etc.,  are  figured  out  by  the  cost  accounting  depart- 
ment or  such  other  department  as  concerns  itself  with  such 
items. 

The  Employer's  Estimate 

Aside  from  the  estimates  which  the  head  of  the  service 
work  makes,  the  employer  himself  has  to  decide  how  much 
money  he  will  spend  for  such  activity.  Little  information  is 
available  as  to  the  costs.  The  United  States  Department  of 
Labor  not  long  ago  attempted  to  ascertain  what  such  costs  are. 
According  to  the  few  replies  received,  the  expense  varied  from 
a  fraction  of  I  per  cent  to  5  per  cent  of  the  total  annual  pay- 
roll. The  higher  percentages  included  the  costs  of  pension  or 
insurance  plans  or  maintenance  of  large  clubhouses.  The 
conclusion  arrived  at  by  the  investigation  was  that  an  expendi- 
ture of  about  2  per  cent  of  the  annual  pay-roll  would  provide 
for  a  program  of  fair  proportions.1 


1  For  further  information  on  the  subject  the  reader  is  referred  to  "Employment 
Management,"  by  Daniel  Bloomfield,  H.  W.  Wilson  Company,  New  York,  pages  441-8. 


CHAPTER  V 

THE  SERVICE  MANAGER 

A  First-Rate  Executive  Needed 

Successful  service  work  is  not  a  matter  of  chance.  Nor 
is  it  something  that  succeeds  by  planless,  haphazard  procedure. 
If  it  does  not  receive  the  careful  consideration  of  able  execu- 
tives it  had  better  not  be  attempted. 

It  has  been  demonstrated  that  social  activities  thrive  when 
the  rank  and  file  have  a  large  share  in  their  administration. 
Service  work  in  an  industry  stands  a  far  better  chance  of 
success  if  it  represents  a  co-operative  effort  on  the  part  of 
management  and  employees.  With  this  new  conception  of 
the  motive  which  should  underlie  service  to  employees,  a 
change  has  come  in  the  specifications  for  those  who  are  to 
take  charge  of  it.  There  have  always  been  highly  competent 
men  and  women  who  have  carried  on  the  service  enterprises 
of  industry.  But  not  in  every  case  has  there  been  a  sufficiently 
high  standard  of  personal  equipment,  nor  has  sufficient  respon- 
sibility been  placed  on  the  service  agent  for  the  best  results 
to  be  possible.  Today,  however,  any  establishment  which 
has  a  proper  respect  for  the  importance  of  social  service 
work  recognizes  the  importance  of  placing  in  charge 
the  best  possible  man  or  woman,  and  adding  power  enough 
to  enable  this  executive  to  function  to  the  best  advantage. 

There  can  be  no  question  that  service  work  is  vitally  im- 
portant both  to  output  and  totsound  industrial  relations.  No 
sentimental  reasons  are  needed  to  justify  it.  Properly  man- 
aged and  supported  service  departments  contribute  positively 
to  business  success.  Moreover,  it  is  not  a  question  of  charity 

56 


THE   SERVICE   MANAGER  57 

or  benevolent  spirit.  Workers  do  not  want  charity;  level- 
headed employers  know  that  good  sense  and  just  dealing  count 
for  more  than  philanthropic  emotions.  Both  parties  to  the 
industrial  bargain  keep  their  self-respect  when  the  relations 
are  frank,  fair,  and  businesslike.  Whatever  promotes  health, 
and  comfort,  whatever  secures  absence  of  strain,  and  satis- 
faction, and  stimulates  hope,  ambition,  and  intelligence  is  so 
much  clear  gain  for  industry.  Whatever  retards  or  impairs 
these  things  is  a  foe  to  production  and  right  relations.  Modern 
service  departments  are  organized  in  the  light  of  this  truth, 
and  the  service  director  must  be  competent  to  conduct  his  work 
with  due  regard  for  its  meaning. 

General  Qualifications 

The  various  types  of  service  activities  indicated  in  the 
previous  chapter  will  be  taken  up  in  detail  in  succeeding 
chapters.  At  this  point  it  will  be  helpful  to  discuss  briefly 
the  general  qualifications  of  the  service  manager  or  superin- 
tendent. As  in  so  many  other  branches  of  industrial  activity, 
the  man — or  the  woman — is  more  important  than  the  plan. 

Needless  to  say,  character  is  the  chief  requisite  in  a  service 
manager.  Everyone  will  naturally  look  to  him  for  humane, 
intelligent,  and  disinterested  service.  What  he  is  will  count 
for  even  more  than  what  he  does.  Nothing  is  more  hopeful 
as  a  sign  of  industrial  advance  than  the  fact  that  the  capable 
men  and  women  who  have  thus  far  been  drawn  into  various 
forms  of  philanthropic  work  feel  a  call  now  to  use  their 
abilities  and'  experience  in  connection  with  some  industrial 
organization,  and  that  industrial  managers  are  seeking  out 
just  such  workers  for  employment  within  their  plants. 

Social  service  is  a  great  specialty  by  itself.  Its  literature 
is  enormous.  The  leaders  in  this  field  are  men  and  women 
of  international  fame  and  their  following  is  world  wide.  The 
service  director  must  know  something  of  the  work  that  these 


58  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

leaders  have  done  and  the  principles  they  stand  for,  in  order 
that  he  may  not  only  profit  by  their  achievements,  but  also  be 
sufficiently  initiated  to  know  how  to  apply,  so  far  as  prac- 
ticable, the  best  that  has  been  done  in  social  service  work. 
The  service  manager  in  order  to  handle  industrial  service  work 
intelligently,  should  have  accurate  knowledge  of: 

1.  The  views  and  conditions  of  labor  throughout  the 

country. 

2.  The  problems  of  unemployment  and  the  best  thought 

on  the  methods  of  meeting  these  problems. 

3.  The  problems  of  health  and  sanitation  in  their  rela- 

tion to  the  community. 

4.  Immigration  in   all  its   phases  and  particularly   its 

effects  upon  industry,   our  institutions,   the  com- 
munity. 

5.  Social  legislation. 

6.  The  problems  of  recreational  work. 

7.  The  problems  of  charity  and  its  administration. 

8.  The  problems  centering  about  good  government — 

city,  state,  and  national. 

9.  Organized  social  and  industrial  movements,  particu- 

larly the  latter. 

10.  The  work  of  local  social  agencies. 

11.  Industrial    history,    which    will    throw    considerable 

light  on  the  development  of  present-day  industrial 
movements. 

12.  The  subject  of  employment  management,   for  here 

he  will  find  one  practical  application  of  principles 
developed  in  the  field  of  social  service. 

13.  The  organization  of  industrial  concerns. 

14.  Methods  of  compensation. 

15.  The  principles  underlying  vocational  education  and 

guidance. 


THE    SERVICE   MANAGER  59 

Training  and  Experience 

In  addition  to  a  wide,  accurate  knowledge  of  the  field, 
training  and  experience  are  requisites.  While  the  training 
must  include  a  good  deal  that  from  the  viewpoint  of  indus- 
trial work  seems  theoretical,  nevertheless  theory  gets  the  mind 
in  the  habit  of  thinking  through  a  problem  in  the  light  of 
general  principles.  The  man  or  woman  who  is  college  trained, 
who  is  well  read  in  economic  and  social  literature,  who  has 
had  experience  in  dealing  with  people,  will  usually  succeed 
in  the  work  of  the  service  manager.  Experience  may  be  had 
in  hundreds  of  institutions,  public  and  private.  If  to  this 
training  is  added  experience  both  as  a  wage-earner  and  as  a 
minor  executive  in  a  business  Or  industrial  concern,  the  prac- 
tical side  will  have  been  joined  to  the  theoretical,  and  the 
general  equipment  will  be  exactly  what  is  needed. 

Personality 

Personality  is  a  great  asset  in  all  work  which  calls  for 
contact  with  others.  The  bond  of  sympathy  works  wonders. 
Lacking  this,  contact  must  perforce  be  superficial,  and  much 
of  the  value  of  service  work  is  lost. 

A  certain  plant  had  a  service  superintendent  who  had 
excellent  training  and  some  valuable  experience  in  public  work 
before  he  came  to  his  job.  He  possessed  a  good  mind  and 
was  able  to  plan  things  out  clearly  and  well.  But  he  could 
not  gain  the  confidence  of  the  men.  The  explanation  was 
found  in  his  personality.  He  lacked  sympathy  and  ability  to 
project  himself  so  that  he  could  see  things  from  the  stand- 
point of  the  worker.  When  forming  plans  he  rarely  con- 
sulted the  workers  and  when  he  did  consult  them  he  would 
engage  in  hair-splitting  as  to  his  point  of  view.  He  knew 
what  the  men  ought  to  have  much  better  than  they  did,  he 
argued,  because  of  his  previous  experience,  but  he  did  not 
realize  that  he  had  a  new  situation  before  him. 


60  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

Judgment 

But  a  sympathetic  personality,  and  the  capacity  to  enter 
the  moods  of  others  are  not  enough — the  quality  of  good 
judgment  must  be  added.  The  service  director  needs  a  good 
deal  of  seasoned  wisdom  in  the  situations  that  arise.  Good 
sense  is  worth  more  than  kindly  impulse.  Good  sense  and 
sympathy  together  make  the  right  combination  for  the  helpful 
and  successful  service  director. 

One  of  many  cases  demanding  good  judgment  and  tact 
was  that  of  the  service  director  of  a  plant  which  was  planning 
to  institute  a  system  of  physical  examinations  of  employees. 
Considerable  opposition  to  any  scheme  of  such  examinations 
was  voiced  by  individual  employees  and  by  the  leaders  of  the 
union  to  which  many  of  them  belonged.  When  he  learned 
this  the  service  director  called  a  conference  of  representatives 
of  the  men  and  talked  over  with  them  frankly  and  at  length 
the  pros  and  cons  of  the  situation.  The  men  were  finally 
convinced  that  it  was  to  their  particular  advantage  to  have 
physical  examinations  instituted  and  the  plan  went  through 
without  opposition.  But  it  was  owing  only  to  the  judgment 
and  tact  of  the  service  director  that  the  scheme  succeeded. 

Possibilities 

There  is  no  limit  to  the  good  that  a  manager  of  the  right 
type  can  do.  He  becomes  one  of  the  most  valuable  assets  of 
the  plant  personnel.  Records  from  plants  which  have  enjoyed 
the  services  of  a  successful  manager  prove  the  importance  of 
service  work  conducted  by  men  and  women  of  peculiar  fitness. 

Discussing  this  point  in  a  letter  to  the  author,  Ernest  C. 
Gould,  an  industrial  engineer  who  has  had  large  experience 
with  industrial  relations  departments,  insists  that  the  director 
of  employees'  service  work  should  be  a  natural  leader  of  men. 

He  must  possess  an  unlimited  amount  of  altruism,  sym- 
pathy, and  patience.    He  should  have  a  broad  education  and 


THE   SERVICE   MANAGER  6l 

considerable  business  experience.  He  should  be  energetic 
and  mingle  freely  with  the  various  elements  comprising  the 
company  organization  and  that  of  the  community.  His  per- 
sonal character  should  be  the  highest. 

Where  to  Find  the  Man 

It  is  evident  from  the  qualifications  noted  that  a  good 
service  department  director  is  not  always  easy  to  find.  There 
seems  to  be  no  specific  field  from  which  service  managers 
can  be  drawn,  but  many  successful  directors  have  been 
developed  from  lawyers,  educators,  Y.  M.  C.  A.  workers,  etc. 
Inasmuch  as  modern  service  management  requires  training 
as  long  continued  and  intensive- in  its  way  as  that  of  a  profes- 
sion, it  is  beginning  to  receive  the  prestige  and  remuneration 
that  a  recognized  profession  enjoys.  As  a  result  many  am- 
bitious persons  of  more  than  ordinary  ability  have  taken  up 
the  work.  Another  incentive  for  such  persons  is  the  fact 
that  service  work  often  leads  to  more  lucrative  positions.  For 
instance,  when  a  vacancy  occurs  in  the  position  of  labor  man- 
ager or  manager  of  industrial  relations,  the  logical  person 
to  be  promoted  is  the  service  manager.  The  possibility  of 
such  advancement  reacts  in  turn  upon  the  standard  set  for  the 
service  manager,  for  promotion  is  possible  only  when  the 
service  manager  possesses  high  qualifications. 

Correlation  of  the  Employment  and  Service  Departments 

The  work  of  the  service  department  is  so  closely  bound 
up  with  the  activities  of  the  employment  department  that  it 
is  difficult  to  mark  the  line  of  cleavage.  In  most  concerns 
employing  not  more  than  3,000  persons  or  so,  the  usual  prac- 
tice is  to  combine  the  two  groups  of  activities  into  a  single 
department — the  employment  and  service  department — under 
a  single  head.  One  division  of  that  department  has  special 
charge  of  employment  and  another  division  special  charge  of 


62  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

service.  If  the  plant  is  not  large  enough  for  a  department 
of  such  size,  the  manager  of  the  employment  and  service 
department  may  himself  direct  all  personnel  and  service 
work. 

Duties  of  the  Employment  Manager 

In  a  concern  which  maintains  a  separate  employment  de- 
partment the  employment  manager  devotes  most  of  his  time 
to  problems  of  hiring  the  workers,  and  to  their  rating,  transfer, 
promotion,  and  release  from  employment.  He  must  also 
handle  wage  problems  and  determine  the  worker's  fitness  for 
the  job.  His  task,  especially  where  the  concern  is  large  and 
the  working  force  widely  varied,  is  exacting  and  requires  much 
time  and  thought.  If  he  is  to  do  his  best,  he  needs  the  constant 
assistance  and  co-operation  of  the  service  manager. 

Duties  of  the  Service  Manager 

As  discussed  in  this  book,  the  work  of  the  service  manager 
consists  of  the  supervision  of  such  plant  activities  with  refer- 
ence to  employees  as  do  not  come  within  the  province  of  the 
employment  department.  Although  the  duties  of  the  service 
director  are  varied,  they  are  far  from  being  indefinite.  They 
fall  into  two  groups,  both  of  which  are  highly  important 
in  building  up  plant  spirit  and  satisfaction  among  employees: 
(i)  the  organized  activities,  (2)  the  informal,  intimate  activi- 
ties, often  of  a  confidential  and  rather  personal  nature.  In 
general,  the  organized  activities  of  the  service  department  have 
been  outlined  in  the  preceding  chapter.  For  obvious  reasons, 
the  informal  activities  do  not  readily  admit  of  classification 
but  their  importance  will  be  readily  understood. 

It  is  interesting  in  this  connection  to  note  that  some  leaders 
in  the  new  field  of  industrial  medicine  would  turn  over  the 
entire  personnel  organization  to  a  specially  trained  physician. 
In  addition  to  medical  training,  however,  it  is  essential  that 


THE    SERVICE    MANAGER  63 

the  physician  have  the  qualifications  of  training  and  experience 
necessary  for  successful  service  managership. 

The  English  Viewpoint 

The  experience  of  England  with  "welfare  supervisors," 
already  referred  to,  has  much  of  significance  for  the  American 
movement  of  personnel  and  employment  management.  When 
women  came  into  industry  in  increasing  numbers  during  the 
war  it  was  found  desirable  to  introduce  "welfare  supervision" 
into  industrial  plants.  The  conception  of  "welfare  super- 
visor" approached  somewhat  the  American  idea  of  employ- 
ment and  service  manager ;  but  in  the  first  place  the  emphasis 
has  been  more  directly  placed  on  "maintaining  a  healthy  staff 
of  workers"  and  helping  maintain  satisfactory  conditions  for 
work,  and  in  the  second  place  the  English  supervisors  are 
women.  Their  duties  consist  of: 

1.  Hiring  or  keeping  in  touch  with  the  hiring  of  new 

workers. 

2.  Selection  of  foremen. 

3.  Investigation  of  dismissals  and  resignations. 

4.  Investigation  of  cases  of  sickness  and  lost  time  as  well 

as  of  poor  output  owing  to  ill  health. 

B.  Seebohm  Rowntree,  a  most  progressive  employer,  who 
during  the  war  headed  the  Welfare  Department  of  the  British 
government,  suggested  that  the  women  welfare  supervisors 
should  have  a  general  supervision  over  working  conditions — 
especially  for  night  work — and  over  canteens  and  restrooms, 
and  that  they  should  co-operate  with  the  plant  doctor  and 
nurse.  He  also  suggested  that  they  should  keep  posted  on 
the  wages  received,  investigate  complaints  by  the  workers,  and 
help  maintain  discipline. 

In  the  organization  recommended  by  the  Munitions  Com- 
mission, the  welfare  supervisor  was  made  directly  responsible 


64  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

to  the  general  manager.  A  definite  position  for  the  welfare 
supervisor  on  the  managerial  staff  in  connection  with  the  labor 
department  of  the  factory  was  also  recommended.  In  this 
way  the  supervisor  would  be  able  to  refer  all  matters  calling 
for  attention  direct  to  the  general  manager  and  would  be 
"regarded  by  him  as  a  liaison  between  him  and  the  various 
departments  dealing  with  the  women  employees." 

Such  a  conception  of  the  duties  of  a  supervising  official 
would  be  directly  applicable  to  the  American  plant  employing 
women  entirely  or  in  large  numbers. 

Duties  Inside  and  Outside  the  Factory 

The  Ministry  of  Munitions  grouped  the  needs  of  the 
workers  with  which  the  supervisor  was  to  concern  herself  as 
follows : 

1.  Needs  within  the  factory. 

2.  Needs  outside  the  factory. 

Inside  Supervision  of  Working  Conditions 

Under  the  heading  of  "needs  within  the  factory"  comes  the 
matter  of  supervision  of  working  conditions.  The  welfare 
supervisor  was  made  responsible  for: 

1.  General  behavior  of  women  and  girls  inside  the  factory. 
Responsibility  for  the  technical  side  of  the  work  was  left  to 
the  technical  staff. 

2.  Transfer.     If  the  health  of  a  woman  was  affected  by 
the  particular  process  on  which  she  was  at  work,  the  welfare 
supervisor,  after  consultation  with  the  foreman  concerned,  could 
suggest  to  the  management  the  possibility  of  transfer  of  the 
woman  to  work  more  suitable  to  her  condition. 

3.  Night  supervision.     It  was  recommended  that  the  wel- 
fare supervisor  have  a  deputy  for  night  work  "and  should 


THE    SERVICE    MANAGER  65 

occasionally  visit  the  factory  at  night  to  see  that  satisfactory 
conditions  are  maintained." 

4.  Dismissal.    The  welfare  supervisor  should  be  consulted 
with  regard  to  the  dismissal  of  women  and  girls. 

5.  The  maintenance  of  health  conditions.    From  the  point 
of  view  of  the  health  of  the  female  employees,  the  welfare 
supervisor  should  see  to  the  general  cleanliness,  ventilation, 
and  warmth  of  the  factory  and  keep  the  management  informed 
of  the  results  of  her  observations. 

Canteens  for  Workers1 

With  reference  to  canteens  for  the  workers  it  was  sug- 
gested that,  unless  the  factory  wa_s  a  small  one,  it  would  hardly 
be  possible  for  the  welfare  supervisor  to  manage  the  canteen. 
The  management  would  probably  prefer  to  entrust  that  to  a 
person  of  special  knowledge.  In  consultation  with  the  man- 
ager of  the  canteen  the  welfare  supervisor  should  make  sure 
of  the  following  points: 

1.  That  the  canteen  provide  suitable  food  for  the  women 

workers,  rapidly  and  punctually  served. 

2.  That  canteen  facilities  are  provided  when  necessary 

for  the  women  before  they  begin  work  so  that  no 
one  need  start  work  without  having  taken  food. 

3.  That  the  canteen  is  as  restful  and  as  comfortable  as 

possible  so  that  it  serves  the  double  purpose  of 
providing  rest  as  well  as  food. 

Ambulance,  Restroom,  and  First  Aid 

The  commission  recommended  that  while  the  welfare 
supervisor  was  not  responsible  for  actually  attending  to  acci- 
dents, except  in  small  factories,  she  should  work  in  close  co- 
operation with  the  factory  doctor  and  nurses  and  should: 


1  Much    attention    was   given    to   this    subject    by    the    British    government    during 
the  war. 


66  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

1.  Help  in  the  selection  of  the  nurses,  who  should  be 

recognized  as  belonging  to  the  welfare  staff. 

2.  See  that  nurses  should  carry  out  their  work  promptly 

and  that  the  workers  were  not  kept  waiting  long 
before  they  received  attention. 

3.  Supervise  all  records  of  accidents  and  illness  in  the 

ambulance  room. 

4.  Keep  in  close  touch  with  all  cases  of  serious  accident 

or  illness.  "It  would  be  useful  if  she  were  allowed 
to  be  kept  in  touch  with  the  compensation  depart- 
ment inside  the  factory  with  a  view  to  advising  on 
any  cases  of  hardship  that  may  arise." 

Cloakrooms  and  Sanitary  Conveniences 

In  the  matter  of  supervision  of  cloakrooms  and  sanitary 
conveniences  the  welfare  supervisor  should  be  held  responsible 
for: 

1.  General  cleanliness 

2.  Prevention  of  loitering 

3.  Prevention  of  pilfering 

"The  management  will  decide  what  staff  is  necessary  to 
assist  her;  and  it  should  be  her  duty  to  report  to  the  manage- 
ment on  these  matters." 

Outside  the  Factory 

The  welfare  supervisor  should  keep  in  touch,  preferably 
through  the  management,  with  all  outside  agencies  responsible 
for: 

1.  Housing 

2.  Transit  facilities 

3.  Sickness  and  maternity  cases 

4.  Recreation 

5.  Day  nurseries 


THE    SERVICE    MANAGER  67 

Personal  Records  of  Employees 

The  commission  also  urged  that  personal  records  of  every 
woman  employee  be  kept  as  a  means  of  helping  the  welfare 
supervisor  in  her  work,  especially  in  order  that  the  worker's 
health  might  be  inferred  from  them.  Records  of  special  sig- 
nificance are  those  of : 

1.  Wages.     "The  welfare  supervisor  could  then  watch  the 
rise  and  fall  of  wages  earned  by  individual  employees  from 
the  point  of  view  that  a  steady  fall  in  earnings  may  be  the 
first  indication  of  an  impending  breakdown  in  health." 

2.  Lost  time.     Such  records  could  furnish  information  as 
to   sickness,   inadequate  transit,   and  urgent  domestic  duties 
which  might  not  otherwise  be  discovered. 

3.  Accident  and  sickness.     As  sickness  makes  a  worker 
less  apprehensive  of  danger  and  is  conducive  to  carelessness, 
a  marked  increase  in  accident  frequency  might  indicate  a  poor 
standard  of  health.     Records  of  sickness  would  serve  to  call 
the  attention  of  the  welfare  supervisor  to  cases  which  might 
otherwise  be  overlooked. 

The  Future  of  Service  Work 

It  is  obvious  from  all  that  has  been  presented  in  this 
chapter  on  the  service  manager  that  a  new  and  important 
function  in  industrial  administration  has  come  into  being. 
Much  of  what  the  modern  service  director  does  has,  of  course, 
been  done  before.  But  it  is  characteristic  of  modern  manage- 
ment to  take  familiar  activities  and  to  give  them  a  new  founda- 
tion of  aim,  place,  and  responsibility. 

This  is  the  case  with  service  work.  There  is  little  con- 
nected with  it  that  is  wholly  new  in  detail.  But  the  work 
is  being  more  clearly  defined  and  a  new  underlying  purpose  is 
being  emphasized.  This  marks  an  advance.  As  one  result, 
a  new  demand  has  developed  for  trained  and  competent  per- 
sons to  take  charge  of  such  work. 


68  LABOR  MAINTENANCE 

Industrial  management  always  gains  as  it  raises  the 
standards  of  qualifications  of  those  who  have  to  administer 
its  various  departments.  It  suffers  when  standards  are  low. 
The  coming  of  capable  service  directors  in  growing  numbers 
is  one  of  the  hopeful  advances  which  modern  industrial  ad- 
ministration is  making. 


CHAPTER  VI 

BUILDING  UP  A  PLANT  SPIRIT 

The  Problem  of  Morale 

One  of  the  most  fundamental  problems  in  a  large  estab- 
lishment has  to  do  with  what  may  be  termed  "plant  spirit." 
The  success  or  failure  of  an  enterprise  depends  on  the  state 
of  mind  of  the  industrial  worker.  Industrial  management 
has  given  too  little  thought  to  this  aspect  of  industry.  One 
still  hears  the  hoary  remark:  "We're  not  in  business  for  our 
health.  Why  should  we  bother  about  what  the  men  think  ?  We 
are  interested  only  in  what  they  produce." 

Yet  production  is  far  more  a  matter  of  men  than  of 
machinery;  and  if  managers  are  interested  in  production,  they 
must  of  necessity  be  interested  in  men.  Maintenance  of  labor 
so  that  it  can  perform  efficiently  with  the  least  waste  is  a 
primary  factor  in  production.  If  industrial  management  is 
not  interested  in  its  men,  its  men  will  not  be  interested  in 
what  they  are  given  to  do ;  and  when  a  man's  heart  is  not  in 
his  work,  his  work  will  not  be  good. 

It  is  this  very  indifference  which  hampers  production,  and 
which  has  helped  bring  about  class  hatred  and  conflict.  It 
is  mainly  the  same  lack  of  vision  which  has  created  the  so- 
called  labor  problem. 

Plant  Spirit — Right  and  Wrong 

Perhaps  the  question  of  plant  spirit — the  sort  that  makes 
for  contentment  among  the  workers,  and  increased  production, 
or  the  sort  that  makes  for  just  the  reverse — can  best  be  ex- 
plained by  citing  an  example  of  each  kind. 

69 


70  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

A  certain  corporation  has  a  number  of  plants  manufac- 
turing the  same  product.  Two  of  these  plants  are  located  in 
similar  neighborhoods  peopled  by  foreign-born  workers.  The 
physical  equipment  in  both  plants  is  identical,  and  the  rate 
of  wages  paid  is  the  same.  Neighborhood  competition  for 
labor  in  both  places  apparently  differs  very  little.  Yet  in  one 
of  these  plants  the  labor  turnover  is  extremely  high,  while 
in  the  other  the  turnover  is  one  of  the  lowest  that  any  of  the 
plants  of  this  concern  can  boast. 

What  is  the  explanation?  Plant  spirit.  The  superin- 
tendent of  the  plant  with  the  high  labor  turnover  is  egotistic, 
selfish,  and  tyrannical;  and  because  of  these  things,  and  his 
unjust  methods,  he  has  lost  not  only  his  men,  but  some  of 
his  best  foremen.  The  superintendent  of  the  other  plant  takes 
as  much  pride  in  the  justice  with  which  his  men  are  treated 
as  he  does  in  the  excellent  business  methods  he  uses  in  operat- 
ing the  plant. 

These  two  plants  are  as  different  in  spirit  as  they  are  alike 
in  physical  equipment.  That  is  the  only  explanation  for  the 
difference  in  labor  turnover.  In  one  plant,  what  little  spirit 
exists  is  one  of  discontent  and  internal  strife.  In  the  other 
plant  the  spirit  is  of  the  right  sort;  and  its  results  are  con- 
tented workers,  low  labor  turnover,  and  increased  produc- 
tion. 

What  Plant  Spirit  Is 

Let  us  consider  what  plant  spirit  really  is.  To  begin 
with,  it  is  more  than  a  state  of  mind.  It  is  as  tangible  as 
the  good-will  of  a  going  concern.  It  depends  upon  many 
material  as  well  as  psychological  elements.  But  it  cannot  be 
imposed  from  without;  it  must  come  from  within  the  plant; 
it  must  be  spontaneous.  The  remainder  of  this  chapter  is 
devoted  to  an  analysis  of  the  component  parts  of  this  plant 
spirit. 


BUILDING   UP   A   PLANT   SPIRIT  71 

r.  Right  Working  Conditions 

Plant  spirit  rests  upon  working  conditions  which  are  right. 
This  means  bright,  cleanly  surroundings,  good  ventilation, 
proper  lighting,  modern  sanitary  conveniences,  proper  tools 
and  equipment.  It  also  means  reasonable  hours  of  work  and 
avoidance  of  overfatigue.  It  involves  the  payment  of  ade- 
quate wages — that  is,  wages  which  more  than  cover  the 
minimum  of  subsistence. 

2.  Elimination  of  Fear  and  Uncertainty 

Plant  spirit  rests  upon  the  elimination  of  fear  and  uncer- 
tainty— fear  of  wrongful  discharge,  of  unemployment,  of  in- 
capacity to  earn  a  livelihood  through  injury,  ill-health,  or  old 
age.  So  we  find  employers  placing  restrictions  about  the 
power  of  discharge  that  it  may  not  be  exercised  in  haste. 
Instead  of  allowing  a  foreman  to  "fire  on  the  spot,"  modern 
methods  require  some  other  officer  to  approve  the  dismissal 
of  a  worker  before  it  becomes  effective.  This  is  to  make 
sure  that  no  injustice  is  done  the  worker.  His  dismissal  from 
one  department  does  not  necessarily  mean  complete  discharge. 
He  may  prove  valuable  in  another  department  where  he  is 
better  suited  to  the  work,  or  where  personal  adjustment  may 
be  more  satisfactory.  A  worker  once  hired  is  an  investment. 
The  presumption  is  that  he  was  employed  because  of  his 
peculiar  fitness.  It  is  the  business  of  the  company  to  make 
the  man's  services  an  asset.  Of  course  mistakes  will  be  made, 
but  helpful  supervision  will  reduce  the  number  of  errors. 

Limiting  the  "Power  of  Discharge" 

At  the  Firestone  Tire  and  Rubber  Company,  Akron,  Ohio, 
the  power  of  absolute  discharge  is  vested  only  in  the  superin- 
tendent of  labor.  Department  managers,  foremen,  and 
assistant  foremen  have  only  the  power  of  suspension,  which 
in  no  case  may  exceed  the  period  of  one  week.  In  the  ma- 


72  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

jority  of  cases  there,  suspension  operates  for  a  day  or  two, 
or  the  employee  is  referred  to  the  superintendent  of  labor.  All 
the  facts  in  the  case  reach  the  superintendent  of  labor  before 
the  worker  arrives  and  it  is  the  duty  of  this  official  to  study 
them  before  making  up  his  judgment.  The  motive,  of  course, 
is  to  prevent  the  losses  of  time,  money,  and  good-will  which 
follow  unjustifiable  discharges. 

The  general  superintendent  of  the  above-mentioned  com- 
pany makes  some  interesting  comments  on  the  operation  of 
this  plan: 

We  believe  that  an  employee  is  an  asset  to  the  company 
and  that  there  is  some  place,  particularly  in  a  large  organiza- 
tion like  our  own,  where  this  employee  is  of  value.  We  are 
simply  trying  to  find  the  proper  niche  in  our  organization 
where  this  certain  employee  can  be  of  greatest  service.  We 
feel  that  this  is  a  good  thing  for  the  employee  as  well  as 
the  company. 

Some  of  our  department  managers,  foremen,  and  assistant 
foremen  felt  at  the  time  this  subject  was  under  consideration, 
that  it  would  detract  from  their  control  over  the  employees 
under  them.  This  anxiety  has  been  proved  groundless  in 
our  judgment. 

We  believe  that  our  employees  feel  that  they  are  not  going 
to  be  subject  to  the  prejudice  of  those  immediately  and  directly 
over  them,  but  will  be  given  a  fair  hearing  by  one  who  is 
unprejudiced — in  our  particular  case,  our  superintendent  of 
labor. 

We  believe  that  the  relations  between  our  men  and  the 
foreman  over  them  is  much  better  under  our  present  system 
than  it  was  prior  to  our  instituting  the  same. 

A  Plan  for  Regulating  Discharges 

For  the  benefit  of  employers  who  wish  to  adopt  a  plan  for 
regulating  discharges,  the  author  presents  the  following  out- 
line which  may  be  modified  to  suit  the  conditions  of  a  particular 
plant. 


BUILDING   UP  A   PLANT   SPIRIT  73 

OUTLINE  OF  PLAN  FOR  SUSPENSION,  DISCHARGE,  AND 
TRANSFER  OF  EMPLOYEES 

I.  Terminations.  All  terminations  must  pass  through  the  employment 
department.  (Foremen  are  not  to  discharge  except  in  cases 
of  serious  breach  of  discipline.) 

A.  Suspension: 

1.  If  for  some  reason  a  foreman  wishes  to  drop  a  worker 

or  remove  him  from  his  department  he  will  notify 
the  worker  that  he  is  suspended  and  is  to  report  to 
the  employment  manager.  (A  simple  form  card  can 
be  used  for  this  purpose.) 

2.  When  the  suspended  worker  reports  to  the  employment 

manager  he  is  told  his  case  will  be  taken  up  at  once 
and  he  will  be  notified  of  the  result  of  discussion  of 
the  case  with  his  fore'man. 

3.  It   may   be   decided   that   the   worker    go   back   to    his 

foreman  and  have  another  trial;  or  he  may  be  trans- 
ferred to  another  department,  or  he  may  be  discharged. 
The  period  of  suspension  should  be  limited  to  a  day 
or  two;  the  shorter  it  is,  the  less  likelihood  of 
losing  good  workers.  A  worker  improperly  sus- 
pended should  receive  his  regular  pay  for  the 
period  of  the  suspension.  When  circumstances 
permit,  it  might  be  well  to  have  a  committee 
representing  the  employees  and  the  management 
equally,  to  decide  on  cases  of  suspension  and 
discharge. 

B.  Discharge.     Where  there  is  a  serious  breach  of  discipline 

or  other  conduct  warranting  immediate  severance  of  the 
employee's  connection  with  the  company,  the  foreman  may 
discharge  the  offending  employee,  who  will  report  at  once 
to  the  employment  department  which  will  approve  and 
record  his  termination  slip. 

This  method  will  uphold  discipline  of  the  foreman  and 

will  enable  the  management  t3  consider  each  case  on 

its   individual '  merits   so   that   a   discharge   is   always 

based  upon  just  consideration. 

The  discharge  will  then  be  the  last  resort.     Workers 


74  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

will  readily  see  that  they  are  given  every  opportunity 
to  make  good  and  that  if  they  are  expelled  it  is  for 
a  good  reason,  after  careful  consideration  of  the  case 
by  impartial  authorities. 

II.  Transfers.  Recommendations  for  transfers  should  be  made  to 
the  employment  department  before  the  transfer  takes  place 
unless  the  transfer  means  a  promotion.  All  statistics  as  to 
transfers  should  be  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  employment 
department  for  its  turnover  records. 

The  author  has  installed  this  plan  in  several  large  industrial 
undertakings,  and  it  has  everywhere  worked  out  with  success. 
It  has  helped  the  worker  realize  that  he  is  getting  a  square 
deal  and  has  aided  considerably  in  removing  the  mistrust  of 
each  other  by  foreman  and  worker.  Its  great  advantage  is 
that  it  has  preserved  the  disciplinary  power  of  the  foreman 
and  at  the  same  time  adjusted  a  condition  which  made  for 
bitter  feeling.  The  decrease  in  labor  turnover  accompanying 
the  operation  of  the  plan  in  each  plant  was  immediately 
evident. 

Employees  Must  Be  Treated  Fairly 

The  next  principle,  that  employees  must  be  treated  fairly, 
is  really  a  corollary  of  the  one  just  developed.  A  business 
venture  not  based  on  the  "square  deal"  cannot  hope  to  have 
labor  stability.  Nothing  so  fans  the  flames  of  ill-will  as 
injustice.  Men  will  go  to  extremes  when  their  rights  have 
been  invaded  or  ignored.  Some  employers  have  deluded  them- 
selves into  the  belief  that  a  system  of  espionage  must  be  main- 
tained in  their  plants  in  order  to  maintain  peace;  it  is  no 
wonder  that  when  the  same  employers  have  instituted  elaborate 
"welfare  work"  their  efforts  have  met  with  little  enthusiasm. 

One  such  employer  found  himself  with  a  costly  strike  on 
his  hands  when  his  "spotters"  were  discovered.  He  abolished 
his  spies  and  began  anew  with  the  determination  to  take  his 


BUILDING   UP  A   PLANT   SPIRIT  75 

workers  into  his  confidence.  He  asked  that  his  men  select  a 
works  committee  to  represent  each  shop  and  advise  with  the 
management  on  all  mutual  matters.  The  effects  were  immediate. 
The  spirit  of  the  workers  changed.  Instead  of  gloom,  sus- 
picion, and  unrest,  an  atmosphere  of  cheerfulness  and  satisfac- 
tion developed. 

Favoritism  on  the  part  of  foremen  and  sub-bosses  is  one 
of  the  elements  which  disturb  a  sound  plant  spirit.  In  indus- 
trial relations  as  in  all  other  human  relations,  fair  play  is 
basic  to  mutual  respect.  No  one  should  have  a  place  in  the 
organization  except  on  his  merits.  Nepotism,  job-selling,  job- 
holding  because  of  personal  friendship,  partiality  shown  to 
workers  of  certain  religious  creeds  or  to  members  of  fraternal 
associations,  are  negative  efforts  at  labor  maintenance.  They 
breed  suspicion  and  discontent.  They  destroy  good-will. 

Confidence  depends  upon  deeds.  The  management  must 
show  by  its  acts  that  it  is  fair.  It  must  evidence  its  good 
faith  by  meeting  its  workers  half-way,  and  by  insisting  that  its 
staff  do  likewise. 

3.  The  "Other  Fellow's  Point  of  View" 

So  the  next  principle  calls  for  appreciation  of  the  other 
fellow's  point  of  view.  Men  must  know  each  other.  What 
Clarence  H.  Howard,  President  of  the  Commonwealth  Steel 
Company,  calls  the  "Fellowship  Ideal"  must  pervade  the 
organization.  And  in  his  words  that  means  "The  adoption  of 
the  principle  of  Right  as  the  unerring  law  of  action — the  pas- 
sion to  serve  the  Right  in  all  relations  of  life." 

It  is  the  aim  of  fellowship  to  take  the  word  "toil"  out 
of  the  language  and  substitute  the  word  "service." 

The  Commonwealth  idea  is  that  all  men  working  together 
for  a  common  purpose  in  the  business  are  co-workers.  All 
parts  of  the  structure  must  work  in  harmony.  Business  is 


76  LABOR  MAINTENANCE 

to  be  looked  upon  as  service,  not  only  to  the  public,  but  of 
each  part  of  the  business  to  every  other  part. 

Fellowship  always  figures  how  much  it  can  share  with  the 
men,  not  how  little  it  can  give  them.  In  fellowship,  authority 
is  a  position  of  trust  and  not  one  of  personal  power  and 
aggrandizement.  Fellowship  is  strict  in  acknowledging  and 
rewarding  merit  and  discountenancing  poor  work.  It  is  not 
an  easy  boss  but  it  is  a  fair  one. 

The  successful  manager  of  men  knows  his  men.  He  knows 
and  appreciates  what  they  are  reading,  thinking,  and  talking 
about.  If  they  are  foreign  born  he  knows  something  about 
their  customs  and  ideals.  He  gains  their  respect  by  his  knowl- 
edge of  their  mother  country.  He  inspires  them  with  the 
desire  to  "make  good."  This  relationship  is  the  secret  of 
good-will. 

He  will  not  make  the  mistake  which  a  certain  executive 
of  a  large  manufacturing  plant  made  in  seeking  to  develop 
a  good  spirit  among  his  men.  He  thought  he  would  "go  the 
rounds"  on  the  day  before  Christmas  to  extend  the  greetings 
of  the  season  to  each  employee.  His  motives  were  good  and 
he  was  sincere  in  his  effort.  But  he  knew  very  few  of  the 
employees  and  few  knew  him  except  by  name.  It  was  impos- 
sible for  him  to  achieve  his  object  because  the  whole  thing 
looked  artificial,  if  not  ludicrous. 

4.  Self-Help  Through  Mutual  Respect 

The  next  factor  may  be  called  the  development  of  self- 
help  through  mutual  respect  and  co-operation.  Mutual  respect 
is  based  on  the  factors  discussed  in  this  chapter,  but  mainly 
upon  mutual  understanding.  Industrial  friction  is  too  often 
the  result,  in  part  at  least,  of  misunderstanding. 

Business  success  is  a  result  of  team  play,  where  all  forces 
are  joined  in  a  common  purpose,  where  management  and 
men  are  impelled  by  motives  which  are  commonly  understood. 


BUILDING    UP   A    PLANT    SPIRIT  77 

Each  side  must  appreciate  the  problems  of  the  other,  and 
instead  of  suspicions,  antagonisms,  indifference,  or  intolerance, 
there  must  be  mutual  confidence  and  active  co-operation.  No 
matter  how  humble  a  worker's  job  may  be,  his  place  in  the 
organization  is  important.  Management  cannot  afford  to  be 
indifferent  to  the  desires  and  aspirations  of  the  subordinate 
workers.  From  that  group  many  a  leader  has  been  developed. 
And  if  this  group  is  to  function  constructively  it  must  receive 
constructive  attention. 

A  Specific  Instance  of  the  Development  of  Self-Help 

To  take  a  specific  example:  The  Jones  Manufacturing 
Company  has  a  department  in  which  the  majority  of  workers 
are  unskilled.  The  superintendent  expresses  his  contempt  for 
the  men  in  this  department  because  they  seem  to  care  for 
nothing  but  more  wages  and  to  "show  them  a  lesson"  he  will 
"fire  on  the  spot"  any  fellow  who  asks  for  a  more  substantial 
return  for  his  labor.  He  is  disturbed  because  he  cannot  get 
the  men  to  work  harder  and  the  more  he  berates  these  fellows 
through  his  foremen  and  sub-bosses  the  more  exasperating  is 
their  lack  of  response.  Soon  there  is  an  undercurrent  of  un- 
rest. The  men  are  sullen  and  there  is  a  flare-up  here  and 
there  when  harsh  words  are  applied  by  the  bosses.  Suddenly 
notice  comes  to  the  superindentent  that  the  men  will  go  out 
on  strike  within  twenty-four  hours  unless  their  "demands" 
are  met.  He  rages  at  the  men  and  refuses  to  see  their  com- 
mittee. The  strike  takes  place  and  feeling  becomes  bitter. 
Pickets  appear  and  the  work  of  the  company  is  seriously  crip- 
pled. Finally  the  strike  is  settled  upon  a  compromise  of 
terms  laid  down  by  the  workers.  The  president  of  the  com- 
pany, much  disturbed  about  the  matter,  looks  into  the  condi- 
tions causing  the  strike  and  finds  no  grievance  that  is  in  itself 
really  important,  but  an  accumulation  of  petty  troubles 
which  should  never  have  been  allowed  to  go  on  unheeded. 


7  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

Then  the  president  brings  in  a  new  superintendent,  a  man 
of  broad  sympathies  and  a  keen  judge  of  men.  This  new 
manager  arranges  to  meet  the  workers  personally  and  provides 
opportunity  for  them  to  come  to  him  directly  with  any  griev- 
ance they  may  have.  He  treats  every  worker  man-fashion, 
and  makes  it  his  business  to  encourage  the  men  to  develop 
themselves  through  schools,  self-governing  clubs,  and  frequent 
addresses  and  lectures  on  matters  of  interest.  He  insists  that 
foremen  and  subexecutives  must  practice  courtesy  at  all  times. 
He  makes  it  clear  that  he  will  brook  no  arbitrary  conduct  on 
the  part  of  his  operating  staff;  and  at  the  same  time  lets  the 
men  know  that  he  expects  of  them  the  same  spirit  of  fairness 
and  co-operation,  which  he  is  extending  to  them. 

It  is  not  long  before  a  marked  change  in  the  morale  of 
the  men  is  evident.  They  work  with  a  new  vigor  and  there 
are  fewer  terminations  from  the  department.  Respect  replaces 
mistrust  and  there  is  peace  and  production. 

5.  Opportunities  for  Advancement 

The  fifth  principle  requires  provision  of  opportunity  for 
initiative  and  growth.  Where  employment  is  not  continuous, 
where  there  is  no  opportunity  for  promotion  or  encourage- 
ment of  effort,  little  may  be  expected  in  the  way  of  loyalty. 
The  reader  is  no  doubt  familiar  with  plants  where  these 
factors,  and  some  others  mentioned  in  this  chapter,  are  respon- 
sible for  a  demoralized  work  force.  There  can  be  no  esprit 
de  corps  where  jobs  are  temporary,  where  the  management 
is  constantly  shifting  men  around,  where  the  workers  feel 
they  may  at  any  moment  be  thrown  out  of  employment,  where 
there  is  no  attempt  to  search  out  special  merit  and  encourage 
it  and  where  vacancies  are  filled  from  the  outside  instead  of 
building  from  within.  Instances  are  numerous  where  men 
have  put  their  hearts  and  souls  into  their  work  with  good 
results  only  to  wake  up  some  day  and  find  new  men  thrust 


BUILDING   UP   A   PLANT   SPIRIT  79 

upon  the  organization  and  chances  for  advancement  made 
more  remote  than  ever.  When  a  man's  spirit  is  broken,  when 
he  feels  himself  a  cog  in  a  ruthless  machine  which  ignores 
faithful  service  and  offers  no  incentive  for  enthusiastic  effort 
how  can  we  expect  anything  resembling  plant  spirit  ? 

A  wise  management  will  study  itself  and  offer  a  definite 
system  of  promotions  and  advancement  to  those  who  show 
meritorious  service.  This  means  carefully  worked  out  job 
analyses  and  wage  payments,  service  records  that  are  com- 
prehensive histories  of  workers  and  their  capabilities,  as  well 
as  intelligent  appreciation  of  the  psychological  factors  govern- 
ing human  conduct. 

Not  only  must  there  be  room  for  initiative  and  growth 
within  the  organization  as  such  but  the  personal  development 
of  workers  through  their  own  social  activities  must  be  en- 
couraged. The  problem  of  the  worker's  leisure  is  more  than 
a  personal  problem;  it  is  a  community  problem,  and  the  em- 
ployer can  help  in  its  solution.  The  intelligent  use  of  leisure 
makes  for  sound  citizenship,  without  which  industry  cannot 
maintain  itself.  The  specialization  of  processes  in  large-scale 
production  produces  a  monotony  which  must  be  offset  by 
human  enterprises  that  allow  mental  and  social  development. 
Employee  activities  foster  healthy  plant  spirit.  Further  con- 
sideration of  this  factor  will  be  found  in  succeeding  chapters. 

6.  Enthusiasm  of  Management 

The  sixth  principle  is  enthusiasm  on  the  part  of  the  man- 
agement. 

An  organization  generally  reflects  the  spirit  of  its  manage- 
ment. A  gloomy,  pessimistic  outlook  by  the  management 
cannot  produce  a  cordial  spirit.  Many  a  plant  has  suffered 
from  this.  Such  a  disposition  on  the  part  of  the  management 
breeds  distrust,  suspicion,  and  hard  feelings.  Progress  in  right 
relations  between  management  and  men  under  such  circum- 


80  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

stances  becomes  more  and  more  impossible.  "All  our  modern 
industrial  social  problems,"  says  Gerald  Stanley  Lee,  "are 
problems  of  gearing  people  up."  Successful  leadership  in 
business  and  industry  carries  with  it  never-failing  enthusiasm, 
the  enthusiasm  that  inspires  confidence,  action,  and  good-will. 
When  Joseph  W.  Powell  passed  through  the  shops  of  the 
great  shipyard  of  which  he  was  president,  the  men  would 
warm  up  to  his  cordial  greeting  and  take  a  new  interest  in 
their  work,  for  "Joe"  Powell's  enthusiasm  is  irresistible. 
When  "Charlie"  Schwab  talked  to  the  boys  at  the  Hog  Island 
Shipyard  at  a  time  when  the  rivet-driving  records  were  going 
down  there  was  an  immediate  reaction  and  the  figures  of 
production  took  a  decided  leap  upwards.  And  so  with  many 
concerns  throughout  the  country.  Men  are  inspired  to  do 
their  best  because  the  management  believes  in  its  men,  in  its 
work,  and  in  action.  Selling  its  product  is  not  the  only  func- 
tion of  a  business;  it  must  "sell"  itself  to  its  workers,  it  must 
inspire  confidence,  and  through  its  example  spread  enthusiasm 
so  that  it  reaches  every  worker. 

The  Part  of  the  Foreman 

Paramount  in  importance  is  the  co-operation  of  foremen 
in  making  labor  maintenance  work  a  success.  Too  often  this 
factor  is  ignored,  but  effort  is  well  spent  in  trying  to  win 
their  interest  and  support.  Let  us  here  emphasize  the  fact 
that  the  foreman  is  the  key  man  in  the  structure  of  labor 
maintenance.  By  his  attitude  he  may  build  or  destroy  the 
work  of  months  and  years.  He  is  the  one  in  closest  contact 
with  the  workers.  To  them  he  represents  the  management. 
Practically  their  entire  time  is  spent  under  his  close  super- 
vision. It  is  highly  essential,  therefore,  that  the  foreman 
should  act  as  agent  for  the  service  department  as  well  as  for 
the  company  in  general. 

The  foreman's  chief  job  is  to  maintain  and  increase  produc- 


BUILDING   UP   A   PLANT   SPIRIT  8l 

tion.  But  no  matter  how  intolerant  he  may  be  of  "new- 
fangled" ideas,  no  matter  how  busy  he  may  be  with  the 
material  elements  which  concern  output,  he  can  be  made  to 
realize  how  much  his  production  record  depends  upon  a  con- 
tented labor  force.  -It  needs  nothing  but  common  sense  to 
tell  him  that  he  has  nothing  to  lose  and  everything  to  gain 
by  appreciation  of  the  human  factors  which  govern  successful 
man-power  control.  As  a  rule,  however,  he  needs  to  be 
impressed  with  the  importance  of  his  share  in  reducing  the 
wastes  following  instability  of  labor.  The  truth  is  that  his 
responsibility  in  labor  maintenance  work  cannot  be  shirked 
or  evaded  if  he  would  maintain  his  own  job. 

New  Conception  of  the  Foreman's  Job 

The  new  science  of  employment  management,  having 
probed  into  the  causes  of  labor  instability,  presents  facts  which 
are  a  formidable  indictment  of  present  methods  of  foreman 
control.  A  new  conception  of  the  foreman's  job  has  arisen. 
A  greater  realization  of  the  powers  for  good  or  evil  which 
lie  in  the  foremen's  hands  has  made  industrial  leaders  realize 
that  the  foreman  of  the  future  must  be  a  manager  of  men 
before  he  can  qualify  for  a  permanent  place  in  the  organization 
of  an  industrial  concern. 

The  old  type  of  foreman  will  soon  be  extinct.  In  the 
struggle  for  survival  of  the  fit  he  will  go  down  and  his  place 
will  be  taken  by  a  man  who  respects  men ;  who  will  treat  them 
as  he  himself  wishes  to  be  treated;  who  will  realize  that 
the  "ignorant  foreigner"  has  a  soul,  has  ideals,  and  often  has 
an  education  which  would  put  those  in  a  more  fortunate  place 
in  industry  to  shame.  The  foreman  of  today  knows  that 
the  worker  is  sensitive  and  rarely  forgets  insults  and  unjust 
rebukes;  that  the  "unthinking  masses"  have  produced  many 
~>f  the  world's  greatest  men;  that  if  through  intelligent  treat- 
ment the  proper  chord  is  struck  within  them,  it  will  evoke 


82  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

an  energy  and  spirit  which  will  go  far  towards  steadying  the 
plant's  labor  forces. 

The  Stupid  Foreman  a  Handicap 

"This  is  the  day  of  democracies,  the 'day  of  tolerations,  of 
adjustments  and  readjustments,"  says  Charles  M.  Schwab.  Self- 
respecting  workers  will  not  stand  for  arbitrary  methods.  Ex- 
amine the  labor  turnover  reports  of  almost  any  plant  and  you 
will  find  the  greatest  number  of  terminations  are  made 
of  the  worker's  own  accord.  The  figures  of  a  large  new  enter- 
prise, which  in  its  methods  is  far  ahead  of  other  similar  con- 
cerns, show  the  following  percentages  of  voluntary  resigna- 
tions of  those  whose  services  terminated  during  the  months 
from  May  to  September,  1918. 

May 43.1  per  cent 

June   52.7    "      " 

July   53-1     -      • 

August 64.6 

September    72.0     "       " 

The  conditions  in  an  older  concern  during  the  period  from 
October,  1917  to  May,  1918,  are  even  more  startling. 

In  October  79.6%  of  those  terminated  left  of  their  own  accord 

"    November  93.9 

"    December  90.6 

"    January  84.9 

"    February  74.7 

"    March  67.4 

The  situation  which  is  before  industrial  managers  is  not 
one  of  theory  but  of  disturbing  fact.  It  is  obvious  that  those 
who  terminate  their  employment  voluntarily  do  so  generally 
because  of  dissatisfaction.  It  may  be  wages,  working  condi- 
tions, poor  housing  accommodations,  rough  treatment  by  fore- 


BUILDING   UP   A   PLANT   SPIRIT  83 

men,  or  some  other  cause;  but  it  needs  no  speculation  to 
determine  the  foreman's  part  in  this  huge  wastage.  To  the 
worker  the  foreman  is  not  merely  a  representative  of  the 
company  but  the  company  itself.  Thousands  of  dollars,  there- 
fore, may  be  spent  in  the  attempt  to  make  employment  attrac- 
tive, and  results,  so  far  as  labor  maintenance  is  concerned, 
may  be  nullified  by  the  indifference,  lack  of  co-operation,  and 
stupidity  of  foremen. 

Recognizing  these  principles,  progressive  concerns  are 
establishing  training  courses  for  foremen,  and,  like  the  Inter- 
national Harvester  Company,  are  getting  their  foremen  and 
executives  together  to  impress  upon  them  the  importance  of 
co-operation.  At  a  notable  meeting  of  nearly  600  foremen, 
department  heads,  and  superintendents  of  the  Harvester  Com- 
pany early  in  1917,  the  first  meeting  of  this  kind  ever  held 
by  the  company,  the  following  point,  among  others,  was  em- 
phasized : 

One  thing  must  be  driven  out  of  every  organization 
and  that  is  the  poison  of  fear,  the  element  of  coercion.  Men 
should  come  to  you  and  give  you  their  confidence,  because 
you  deserve  it,  because  they  are  your  friends  and  look 
upon  you  as  the  right  sort  of  a  guide.  I  have  been  through 
some  of  the  instructions  personally  given  to  captains  of  com- 
panies in  the  army.  These  describe  the  captain  as  a  father 
of  the  company.  The  worst  crime  a  captain  can  commit 
as  father  is  to  be  unfair  and  abuse  his  authority  in  relation 
to  his  men.  The  privates  are  supposed  to  come  to  him  with 
all  their  hopes  and  ambitions,  their  woes.  That  is  what 
he  is  captain  for.  He  is  supposed  to  show  human  qualities 
— he  is  the  father  of  the  company. 

The  foreman  is  a  sort  of  father  of  his  department.  The 
president  and  other  executives  «annot  mix  with  all  the  men. 
You  are  the  proxies  of  the  men  at  the  top.  You  are  the 
men  at  the  top  so  far  as  your  own  world  in  the  shop  is 
concerned.1 


1  See    Industrial    Management    for    Tune,     1917:       "Relation    of    Foremen    to    the 
Working   Force,"   by   Meyer    Bloomfield. 


84  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

The  Packard  Motor  Car  Company  pays  a  bonus  to  its 
foremen  who  have  the  best  records  of  stability  among  their 
force.  The  company  calls  its  plan  "Labor  Maintenance 
Efficiency." 

Reaching  the  Foreman — Labor  Efficiency  Bulletins 

A  successful  method  of  reaching  its  foremen  is  that  devised 
by  the  author  for  the  Lake  Torpedo  Boat  Company,  Bridge- 
port, Connecticut.  A  series  of  "Labor  Efficiency  Bulletins" 
was  prepared  and  sent  every  week  or  so*  by  the  general  man- 
ager to  the  foremen  to  acquaint  them  with  some  of  the  modern 
ideas  of  management  and  how  they  were  working  out  at  other 
plants.  These  bulletins  were  very  cordially  received  and  much 
thought  and  enthusiasm  were  stimulated  by  them.  The  fol- 
lowing is  a  typical  bulletin: 

FOREMEN  AND  THE  PLANT  SPIRIT 

Plant  spirit  is  not  a  matter  of  spontaneous  combustion. 
It  is  a  thing  of  growth — sometimes  slow,  sometimes  fast, 
sometimes  good,  sometimes  bad.  But  it  all  has  a  common 
basis.  It  is  the  reflection  of  the  spirit  which  pervades  the 
management  and  this  means  you. 

Production  is  more  a  matter  of  men  than  machinery.  One 
is  the  complement  to  the  other.  You  are  interested  in  getting 
fullest  efficiency  out  of  your  men  as  well  as  your  machines. 
You  never  rap  a  machine  in  anger  if  something  is  wrong 
with  it,  you  try  to  mend  it  by  using  your  mind.  If  you 
would  make  men  fully  efficient  you  must  not  only  use  your 
mind  but  you  must  get  your  men  to  use  theirs.  Man  is  a 
delicate  machine.  You  can  ruin  it  quickly. 

You  must  be  the  guiding  spirit  to  your  men.  You  must 
inspire  them  to  do  their  best.  If  you  want  your  men  to  have 
"pep"  you  must  show  them  by  your  example.  Enthusiasm 
is  contagious.  Your  enthusiasm  is  the  moving  force  of 
progress. 

If  you  lack  enthusiasm,  if  you  cannot  appreciate  the  fact 


BUILDING   UP   A   PLANT   SPIRIT  85 

that  your  men  are  just  as  human  as  you  are  and  want  to 
be  treated  as  you  would  expect  to  be  treated,  don't  hope  for 
any  sort  of  wholesome  plant  spirit. 

Modern  management  realizes  the  importance  of  the  fore- 
man and  leading  man  in  developing  good-will.  And  good- 
will is  an  asset  to  you  as  well  as  to  the  company.  Production 
records  depend  largely  on  the  spirit  in  which  your  men  work. 
If  you  want  personal  success  the  way  is  clear.  Your  men 
will  do  the  boosting  for  you — and  a  satisfied  worker  is  the 
best  press  agent  possible. 

Get  the  good  fellowship  habit.  Meet  your  men  half-way. 
Help  them  in  their  activities.  Give  them  a  lift  when  they 
are  discouraged.  Forget  personalities  and  go  to  your  work 
with  the  spirit  that  has  made  Schwab,  Carnegie,  Edison, 
and  the  other  leaders  of  industry  produce  miraculous  re- 
sults. You  can  do  it.  Every  man  has  the  qualities  of  leader- 
ship. Plant  spirit  means  leadership  that  gives  every  man  a 
chance  to  express  himself — to  bring  the  best  out  of  himself. 

You  need  no  war  to  go  out  to  win.  Meet  obstacles 
with  a  big  spirit.  Look  at  your  job  as  a  human  problem. 
Study  its  weaknesses.  Be  a  good  mixer.  Get  your  men 
enthused — let  them  help  you  solve  your  problems.  Let  every 
kick  be  a  boost.  Soon  you  will  find  yourself  growing  in  power 
and  that  wonderful  something,  a  fine  plant  spirit,  beginning 
to  assert  itself. 


A  Remarkable  Record  of  Plant  Spirit 

It  is  worthy  of  note  here  that  during  the  summer  of  1917 
the  company  experienced  a  bitter  strike ;  and  when  the  men 
returned  the  management  decided  to  adopt  new  methods.  An 
employment  and  service  department  was  established  and  close 
attention  was  given  to  the  causes  of  instability  of  the  working 
force.  The  great  problem  was  how  to  build  up  the  spirit  of 
the  plant.  Working  conditions  were  improved,  discharges 
were  carefully  reviewed,  a  plant  newspaper  was  started,  and 
later  a  marine  band  was  organized.  Enthusiasm  grew,  and 
in  ten  months  the  rate  of  turnover  fell  from  294  to  70  per 


86  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

cent.  But  this  was  not  all.  The  men  wanted  to  show  their 
spirit.  One  of  them  conceived  the  idea  of  having  the  entire 
plant  celebrate  Independence  Day  in  some  manner  different 
from  that  of  any  other  industrial  plant.  A  committee  of 
workers  waited  upon  the  general  manager.  They  asked  him 
whether  he  would  agree  to  all  workers  putting  in  three  hours 
of  work  on  the  nation's  holiday  without  compensation  so  as 
to  show  Uncle  Sam  they  were  with  him  in  beating  the  Hun. 
Astounded  at  this  request,  the  manager  said,  "Go  ahead  and 
arrange  it.  I'm  with  you  boys."  And  so  on  July  4,  1918,  at 
7:00  A.M.  promptly,  1,100  workers  plunged  into  their  task 
of  building  submarines  and  for  three  hours  without  break 
worked  as  they  never  worked  before.  Each  hour  was  punc- 
tuated by  a  blast  from  the  yard  whistle.  This  only  served  to 
spur  the  men  on.  Each  department  tried  to  excel  the  other 
in  production.  Even  the  office  force  gave  its  quota  towards 
this  novel  celebration  with  a  voluntary  attendance  of  100  per 
cent. 

When  the  three  hours  were  up  there  was  flag  raising 
and  the  workers  left  after  cheering  themselves  hoarse.  It  so 
happened  that  plans  for  this  demonstration  developed  so 
quickly  that  some  of  the  copper-shop  workers  had  already 
made  personal  engagements  for  this  day  and  could  not  readily 
break  them.  They  were  not  going  to  be  slackers,  so  twenty- 
eight  of  them  signed  a  petition  to  the  company  requesting 
it  to  deduct  three  hours'  wages  from  their  forthcoming  pay 
and  contribute  this  to  some  war  charity. 

Not  content  with  these  manifestations  of  their  loyalty  to 
their  country  and  to  their  employers  the  workers,  a  few  weeks 
later,  made  a  collection  and  bought  a  fully  equipped  ambulance 
which  they  presented  to  the  Red  Cross  with  a  note  reading: 
"To  the  Boys  over  there  from  the  Boys  over  Here." 

Such  is  the  essence  of  plant  spirit. 


CHAPTER  VII 

TRAINING  THE  WORKER 

Need  of  Industrial  Training 

Wherever  human  skill  is  required  in  industry  workers 
must  be  trained.  Skilled  labor  is  as  essential  to  industry  as 
its  plant,  machinery,  and  manufacturing  material.  Even  with 
normal  operating  conditions  skilled  labor  must  be  continually 
supplied  to  replace  the  continual  normal  loss  through  regular 
causes.  With  unusual  or  emergency  conditions,  which  might 
arise  through  an  exceptional  demand  for  the  product  manu- 
factured, the  supply  of  competent  labor  becomes  of  first 
importance.  Indeed,  unless  the  present  operations  of  skilled 
labor  can  be  replaced  by  some  other  means,  such  as  highly 
developed  machinery  and  other  physical  apparatus,  and 
through  greatly  extended  specialization,  systematic  training  of 
labor  is  imperative  if  the  flow  of  skill  is  to  be  maintained. 

Benefits  of  Training — Efficiency 

The  benefits,  of  such  training,  particularly  of  direct  train- 
ing on  the  job,  are  very  great.  It  brings  increased  skill  in 
the  ability  to  do  the  operations  of  the  job  itself,  which  affects 
both  the  quality  and  quantity  of  the  product.  It  increases, 
moreover,  the  general  job  intelligence  of  the  worker,  not  only 
in  connection  with  his  own  job,  but  in  the  relation  of  his 
work  to  that  of  others  involved  in  production.  In  skilled 
trades  much  is  required  of  the  worker  in  the  way  of  judgment 
and  decision.  Training  improves  ability  to  judge  conditions 
correctly,  make  proper  decisions,  and  handle  any  particular 

87 


88  LABOR  MAINTENANCE 

job  accordingly.     Training  also  teaches  time-saving  methods 
in  handling,  calculating,  laying  out,  and  operation. 

Progressive  concerns  value  most  highly  those  men  who 
have  received  training  within  their  own  plants,  and  who, 
having  grown  up  "within  the  family,"  know  the  methods  and 
standards  of  the  company.  This  knowledge  may  result  in 
real  economic  value  where  method  and  standard  are  con- 
sidered in  skilled  operations.  Correct  training  teaches  how 
to  minimize  waste:  how  to  conserve  material  and  save  time 
through  the  best  methods  of  procedure. 

Aims  of  Training 

Now  the  subject  of  industrial  training  is  one  that  can 
be  dealt  with  either  in  a  narrow  or  in  a  broad  spirit.  Its 
purposes  call  for  special  definition  in  the  light  of  what 
particular  ends  are  to  be  gained.  The  whole  subject  calls 
for  analysis  in  terms  of  industrial  needs  peculiar  to  each 
organization. 

Within  the  various  trades,  the  craftsman,  and  the  semi- 
skilled worker  must  be  distinguished  both  from  those  who 
fill  the  supervisory  position,  and  from  the  so-called  unskilled 
workers.  Relative  to  the  unskilled  worker,  a  training  plan 
will  concern  itself  chiefly  with  the  development  of  good  indus- 
trial habits,  steadiness,  regularity,  and  information  as  to  the 
policies  of  the  management.  The  next  step  in  such  a  program 
is  to  provide,  wherever  feasible,  the  training  needed  for. 
promotion  out  of  the  unskilled  class  to  a  higher  grade  of 
work.  In  other  words,  a  large  element  in  the  training  program 
is  the  appeal  to  ambition,  to  standards  of  excellence  both 
within  the  job  and  in  the  jobs  to  which  it  may  lead. 

One  of  the  great  needs  of  the  workmen  of  today  is 
adaptability  to  change.  Progressive  organizations  all  show 
steady  transformation  in  details  of  technique  as  well  as  in 
the  larger  phases  of  operation.  The  unconscious  resistance 


TRAINING   THE   WORKER  89 

which  a  mass  of  workers  can  offer  to  any  innovation  is  as 
serious  a  hindrance  as  the  opposition  of  outright  hostility. 
One  reason  for  such  a  situation  is  the  absence  of  training 
provisions  that  prepare  the  minds  of  the  workers  for  progres- 
sive developments  in  the  organization.  Change  of  the  work- 
ing force  is  often  a  last  desperate  resort  for  dealing  with 
a  stagnant  personnel.  But  this  is  a  drastic  procedure,  very 
costly,  and  wasteful.  An  easier  and  more  satisfactory  method 
is  to  anticipate  changes  by  continual  encouragement  of  the 
workers  to  keep  alive  to  the  demands  of  progress.  Capacity 
to  conform  to  innovation  comes  chiefly  through  education. 

History  of  Trade  Education 

The  oldest  type  of  education  in  the  world  is  trade  educa- 
tion. The  other  kinds  of  training  we  are  familiar  with  came 
much  later.  From  the  very  beginning  of  organized  occupa- 
tions there  has  been  a  recognition  of  the  need  for  some  kind 
of  regular  instruction  for  those  who  were  to  be  engaged  in 
them. 

During  the  "golden"  days  of  the  apprenticeship  system  in 
the  Middle  Ages,  the  training  for  a  trade  reached  its  height. 
There  were  many  faults  in  that  system  as  it  was  carried  on; 
but  it  was  the  last  word  in  that  type  of  training — the  boy 
who  went  through  its  rigorous  program  became  a  real  crafts- 
man, a  master  workman,  ready  to  hold  his  own  with  anyone. 
It  required  seven  solid  years  under  stern  discipline  to  complete 
the  program,  and  at  the  end  of  that  time  leaders  of  the  craft 
to  which  the  apprentice  had  been  bound  gave  him  an  exhaustive 
practical  test.  If  the  boy  passed  and  could  be  otherwise  recom- 
mended, he  took  his  place  with  the  elect  in  his  Own  particular 
trade. 

And  the  master  workman  of  those  apprenticeship  days  was 
something  of  a  personage.  He  enjoyed  certain  privileges 
which  the  untrained  were  debarred  from,  such  privilege,  for 


90  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

example,  as  freedom  to  change  his  habitation.     Others  less 
fortunate  were  tied  to  their  localities. 

The  Decline  of  Trade  Education 

For  something  like  three  centuries  this  system  flourished, 
and  then  began  to  disappear.  The  factory  era  began  late  in 
the  eighteenth  century  and  modern  industry  gave  the  history 
of  man  a  new  turn.  For  something  like  three  generations, 
all  during  the  period  of  marvelous  industrial  growth,  appren- 
ticeship, and  with  it  trade  training  generally,  was  a  thing 
of  the  dim  past.  Small  shops  grew  to  big  ones,  industries 
combined  into  huge  aggregations,  and  millions  of  new  workers 
in  shops,  mines,  and  mills  came  into  industrial  employment. 
But  training  was  not  a  subject  that  concerned  them  or  their 
employers.  Long  hours  and  arduous  labor  were  regarded 
as  the  essentials  of  satisfactory  production.  Not  until  our 
own  generation,  in  fact,  was  there  an  awakening  to  what 
training  could  do,  and  how  superior  it  was  to  mere  physical 
power. 

The  Revival  of  Trade  Education 

We  have  entered  now  a  period  when  trained  intelligence 
has  been  discovered  to  be  a  bigger  factor  than  had  been  realized 
before  in  the  traditional  type  of  management.  Public  taste 
has  become  educated  to  a  higher  grade  of  workmanship,  com- 
petition has  forced  changes  in  methods,  and  a  gearing  to  the 
pace  set  by  the  most  enterprising.  Moreover,  all  sorts  of 
outside  forces  have  begun  to  act  on  the  ideas  and  the  attitude 
of  the  working  force.  Far-seeing  managers  have  demon- 
strated that  cheap,  untrained  labor  is  oftentimes  a  liability 
instead  of  an  asset.  The  favors  of  the  market  have  been  won 
by  those  who  have  been  forehanded  in  estimating  the  change 
that  has  come  over  both  the  consuming  and  the  producing  popu- 
lation. 


TRAINING   THE   WORKER  91 

Industrial  education  today  is  one  of  the  great  public  enter- 
prises of  our  common  system  of  education;  it  is  one  of  the 
big  features  of  the  modern  plant.  The  literature  on  the 
subject  makes  a  fair-sized  library  by  itself,  and  the  number 
of  specialists  in  the  field  is  legion.  Trained  intelligence  is 
industrial  wealth;  the  force  of  one  skilled  brain  outclasses 
that  of  mere  numbers  without  specialized  fitness  for  the  work 
in  hand.  The  present  era  therefore  may  well  be  called  the 
era  of  trained  hands  and  brain.  The  future  belongs  to  those 
who  build  on  a  foundation  of  trained  personnel. 

Aim  of  the  New  Trade  Education 

All  this  may  sound  obvious,  and  too  self-evident  to  need 
emphasis.  But  emphasis  is  needed,  and  though  assent  to 
training  is  universal,  there  is  yet  a  vast  deal  to  be  done.  We 
are  only  at  the  beginning  of  the  greatest  industrial  training 
projects  in  the  history  of  the  world.  The  old  apprenticeship 
system  reached  but  a  few.  The  new  training  movements  of 
our  own  and  other  countries  aim  to  include  in  time  every 
worker  in  every  employment. 

Industrial  managers  have  been  the  pioneers  in  the  modern 
movement  of  trade  instruction.  They  have  had  to  overcome 
the  opposition  of  their  fellow-managers,  the  hostility  of  educa- 
tors who  ridiculed  the  idea  of  associating  education  with 
manual  work,  and  not  seldom  the  resistance  of  the  rank  and 
file,  who  looked  upon  the  training  department  as  a  threat  to 
their  own  security. 

All  that  is  now  past.  The  last  decade  has  seen  a  larger 
advance  in  this  field  than  in  the  one  hundred  years  that  have 
gone  before.  The  story  of  what  various  industrial  and  other 
establishments  are  doing  today  for  the  training  of  their  em- 
ployees is  long  and  interesting  as  is  the  story  of  what  govern- 
ment, public,  and  semipublic  agencies  are  doing  in  a  similar 
direction. 


92  LABOR  MAINTENANCE 

Training  for  Every  Worker 

Out  of  the  mass  of  material,  and  out  of  the  abundant 
experience  available,  several  important  guiding  principles 
emerge,  and  these  must  be  carefully  regarded  in  every  training 
program. 

First,  it  is  good  economy  to  provide,  wherever  possible, 
a  course  for  every  new  employee  in  the  methods,  policies, 
and  peculiar  production  problems  of  the  concern.  Whatever 
work  an  employee  is  given,  the  actual  beginning  of  his  service 
should  be  preceded  by  a  period  of  preparation,  even  if  it 
consists  of  but  one  or  two  lectures  explaining  the  system  in 
vogue.  Old  as  well  as  new  employees  are  in  need  of  this 
initiation.  It  is  a  mistake  to  plunge  a  beginner  immediately 
into  the  details  of  his  particular  task  without  giving  him  the 
benefit  of  a  general  survey  of  the  establishment  and  of  the 
industry  of  which  he  is  to  be  a  part.  Good  organization 
requires  a  preliminary  insight  into  the  new  environment,  as 
it  were,  and  a  careful  explanation  of  its  meaning.  No  specific 
training  work  should  be  begun  before  this  work  has  been 
done. 

Every  industry  has  its  romance,  and  every  organization 
has  a  tradition  that  should  be  reviewed  anew  for  the  benefit 
of  every  newcomer.  This  is  an  indispensable  part  of  what 
may  be  called  assimilation.  The  United  States  Rubber  Com- 
pany, for  instance,  begins  the  training  of  employees  with  talks 
on  the  romance  of  the  rubber  industry,  and  how  the  com- 
pany's huge  enterprise  has  grown.  A  background  such  as 
this  gives  the  specialized  workers  an  entirely  new  grasp  and 
attitude  as  regards  their  work  and  associations. 

Industry  today  confronts  a  new  set  of  conditions.  Noth- 
ing, of  course,  can  take  the  place  of  individual  initiative  and 
persistence ;  men  of  exceptional  merit  will  rise  from  the  ranks 
no  matter  where  they  start.  But  it  is  folly  to  rely  altogether 
on  such  a  source  of  supply.  A  few  exceptional  men  cannot 


TRAINING   THE   WORKER  93 

take  the  place  of  a  personnel  trained  in  its  entirety.  Trained 
men  are  not  available  in  sufficient  numbers  today  to  meet 
the  demands  of  expanded  industry.  There  is  a  competition 
of  working  forces  as  well  as  of  goods  and  of  management. 

Every  present-day  industry  that  wishes  not  to  surpass  its 
competitors  only,  but  merely  to  keep  abreast  of  them,  must 
enforce  its  enterprise  with  a  program  of  training  which  will 
reach  every  element  concerned  with  its  product. 

The  next  few  years  will  prove  decisive  for  executives  who 
are  foresighted.  The  proper  balance  between  the  quality  and 
the  quantity  of  output  is  what  industrial  leaders  look  to,  and 
these  results  hinge  in  part  on  the  character  of  the  training 
that  is  available  to  the  worker.-  One  of  the  world's  leading 
economists,  Professor  Alfred  Marshall  of  England,  has 
said: 

To  be  able  to  bear  in  mind  many  things  at  a  time,  to 
have  everything  ready  when  wanted,  to  act  promptly  and 
show  resource  when  anything  goes  wrong,  to  accommodate 
oneself  quickly  to  changes  in  details  of  the  work  done,  to 
be  steady  and  trustworthy,  to  have  always  a  reserve  of  force 
which  will  come  out  in  emergency,  these  are  the  qualities 
which  make  a  great  industrial  people. 

It  is  true  that  there  are  many  kinds  of  work  which  can 
be  done  as  efficiently  by  an  uneducated  as  by  an  educated 
workman,  and  that  the  higher  branches  of  education  are  of 
little  direct  use  except  to  employers  and  foremen  and  a 
comparatively  small  number  of  artisans.  But  a  good  educa- 
tion confers  great  indirect  benefits  even  on  the  ordinary 
workman.  It  stimulates  his  mental  activity;  it  fosters  in 
him  a  habit  of  wise  inquisitiveness;  it  makes  him  more 
intelligent,  more  ready,  more  trustworthy  in  his  ordinary 
work;  it  raises  the  tone  of  his  life  in  working  hours  and  out 
of  working  hours;  it  is  thus  an  important  means  towards 
the  production  of  material  wealth;  at  the  same  time  that, 
regarded  as  an  end  in  itself,  it  is  inferior  to  none  of  those 
which  the  production  of  material  wealth  can  be  made  to 
subserve. 


94  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

Advantages — Better  Relations 

That  it  is  much  more  satisfactory  to  deal  with  intelligent 
and  well-trained  employees  than  with  the  illiterate  and  the 
poorly  trained,  is  a  truism  but  unfortunately  it  is  a  truism 
that  has  not  yet  received  universal  credence.  The  trained 
employee  can  more  readily  and  better  understand  and  execute 
orders.  He  is  more  responsible  in  his  work  and  in  dealing  with 
the  company.  He  can  usually  see  the  employer's  problem 
as  well  as  his  own  if  he  has  been  in  this  business  for  some 
time.  He  is  a  real  industrial  asset. 

Training  should  assist  in  increasing  the  interest  of  an 
employee  in  his  work  and  his  company.  Through  a  better 
knowledge  of  his  duties,  responsibilities,  and  opportunities, 
he  is  better  able  to  adapt  himself  to  conditions  and  appreciate 
his  relation  to  the  rest  of  the  organization.  His  decisions 
should  be  the  wiser,  as  the  result  of  his  expanded  outlook 
developed  through  properly  systematized  training. 

Advantages — Reduction  of  Labor  Turnover 

An  expense  is  involved  not  only  in  the  employment  and 
assignment  process,  but  in  adapting  the  new  employee  to  his 
work  and  to  the  organization.  Where  proper  training  methods 
exist,  the  adaptation  of  the  new  worker  to  his  job  and  to 
the  organization  is  facilitated  and  the  waste  of  placement  is 
greatly  reduced.  The  experience  of  concerns  where  the  prob- 
lem has  been  studied  convinces  that  a  large  part  of  the  dis- 
satisfaction with  their  jobs  and  consequent  termination  of 
work  by  employees,  may  be  traced  to  unsound  methods  of 
fitting  them  into  the  organization. 

Industrial  training  assists  in  reducing  turnover  through 
making  possible  the  employment  of  a  better  grade  of  worker, 
through  a  logical  and  systematic  development  of  the  worker's 
capacities,  and  careful  placement  in  accordance  with  his 
adaptability,  temperament,  and  other  qualities.  It  assists  in 


TRAINING   THE   WORKER  95 

developing  a  "content  of  labor,"  a  prime  factor  in  reducing 
turnover. 

Job  Adjustment — Survey 

In  this  connection,  one  of  the  first  steps  to  be  taken,  when 
a  training  department  or  project  is  installed  is  a  careful  job 
survey1 — indeed,  a  general  plant  survey  from  the  point  of 
view  of  employment. 

A  good  outline  for  such  analysis  is  the  following,  devised 
by  Henry  C.  Link  of  the  United  States  Rubber  Company: 

Name   of   job 

Physical   characteristics  of  job: 

1.  Machine    Number  of 

2.  Handwork 

3.  Heavy light medium 

4.  Lifting hauling climbing standing 

sitting walking 

5.  Clean dirty hot cold 

6.  Kind  of  eyesight  required 

Mental  characteristics : 

1 .  Educational    

2.  Prerequisite  experience  

3.  Ability  in  English :     Read write spell 

talk 

4.  Ability   in   mathematics:      Copy   figures add 

subtract multiply divide deci- 
mals  

Miscellaneous : 

1.  Earnings 

a.  Day-work maximum minimum 

average 

b.  Piece-work maximum minimum 

average 

2.  Hours    

3.  Possibilities   of  promotion 


1  For  a  full   discussion  of  job  surveys  and  analyses,   see   "Employment   Methods,' 
by  N.  W.   Shefferman,  published  by  the   Ronald  Press  Company,    1920. 


96  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

4.  Time  required  to  break  in  new  man 

5.  A   brief    statement    oi   any    other    essential    features    of    the 

job 


The  "Job  Adjuster" 

Where  large  numbers  are  employed  it  is  obviously  difficult 
to  insure  that  every  new  employee  is  properly  placed.  Suc- 
cessful experiments  have  been  made  in  large  plants  with  what 
may  be  called  "job  adjusters" — notably  at  the  Fore  River 
plant  of  the  Bethlehem  Shipbuilding  Corporation  and  at  the 
Chester  plant  of  the  Merchant  Shipbuilding  Company.  The 
plan  of  having  one  or  more  men  devote  their  entire  time  to 
problems  of  adjusting  workers  to  their  jobs,  and  so  far  as 
possible  making  a  corresponding  adjustment  of  the  job  to  the 
worker,  has  brought  highly  satisfactory  results.  The  loss  of 
capable  workers  has  been  noticeably  reduced,  productive  effi- 
ciency increased,  and  dissatisfaction  cleared  up. 

Foremen  in  a  busy  plant  are  too  much  occupied  to  spend 
much  time  on  the  individual  problems  of  their  men  at  work. 
The  easiest  way  is  to  "get  rid  of  the  fellow"  if  he  fails  to 
show  fitness  for  his  job.  But  where  there  is  a  job  adjuster 
the  employee  is  turned  over  to  him  for  treatment.  This 
official,  a  man  of  tact  and  sympathy,  and  possessed  of  a  good 
working  knowledge  of  the  jobs  in  the  plant  and  their  require- 
ments, looks  into  the  case  and  finds  out  where  the  difficulty 
lies.  If  the  worker's  previous  experience  is  good  and  his 
present  capacity  sound,  but  a  mistake  has  been  made  in  placing 
him  in  the  wrong  kind  of  work,  the  adjuster  will  arrange  for 
a  transfer  to  another  job.  If  the  man  merely  needs  some 
assistance  in  learning  his  new  work  the  "adjuster"  will  see 
that  proper  instruction  is  given  him. 

It  is  the  business  of  the  job  adjuster  to  act  as  the  right 
hand  of  the  foreman  and  the  employment  manager.  He  is 


TRAINING   THE   WORKER  97 

often  in  a  position  to  discover  friction  spots  in  the  organization 
the  moment  they  appear,  and  is  thus  able  to  prevent  misunder- 
standings that  might  cost  much  in  time,  money,  and  good- 
will. 

A  Concrete  Example  of  the  Value  of  a  Job  Adjuster 

A  large  western  plant  employing  18,000  workers  was  hav- 
ing considerable  difficulty  in  retaining  its  force,  and  decided 
to  establish  the  position  of  job  adjuster  as  part  of  its  program 
of  bringing  its  employment  department  in  line  with  modern 
ideas.  Two  men  were  employed  as  adjusters  and  a  notice  was  cir- 
culated throughout  the  plant,  not  announcing  the  appointment  of 
these  men,  but  stating  that  any.employee  who  had  back  pay  due 
him  or  who  found  some  mistake  in  the  amount  of  wages 

in  his  envelope,  should  see  Mr ,  Adjuster. 

It  so  happened  that  at  this  time  the  government  made  an  award 
increasing  the  wages  of  the  men  in  this  plant  and  giving 
them  the  right  to  retroactive  pay.  Owing  to  the  pressure  of 
the  work  and  the  administrative  difficulties  involved,  the  pay 
was  somewhat  slow  in  distribution  and  considerable  discon- 
tent manifested  itself.  When  the  men  saw  this  notice  they 
said  to  themselves,  "Well!  here's  a  fellow  who  is  going  to 
help  us  get  our  money  and  save  our  time" ;  and  to  him  they 
flocked  in  large  numbers.  When  they  found,  through  contact, 
that  the  adjusters  were  not  merely  pay  agents  but  were  con- 
cerning themselves  with  all  the  work  problems  of  the  men, 
they  began  to  "root"  for  the  idea.  Soon  after,  another  notice 
was  handed  to  each  man  reading,  "If  you  think  of  quitting 

or  changing  your  job  get  in  touch  with  Mr , 

Adjuster.  The  foremen  then  saw  the  advantages  of  the  job 
adjuster  who  saved  for  them  the  time  ordinarily  used  in 
interviewing  men  who  wanted  to  change  jobs,  and  they  refused 
to  sign  a  man's  termination  slip  until  he  had  been  to  the  job 
adjuster. 


98  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

A  remarkable  result  followed.  In  six  months  the  labor 
turnover  was  considerably  reduced.  The  company,  foremen, 
and  workers  are  enthusiastic  about  the  plan  because  it  has 
helped  develop  a  plant  spirit  that  is  the  envy  of  less  progres- 
sive concerns. 

Apprentice  Schools  as  Selective  Media 

Some  organizations  value  the  selective  possibility  provided 
by  their  training  systems  quite  as  highly  as  the  direct  training 
given.  The  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company,  which  main- 
tains a  system  of  trade  apprentice  schools  described  in  detail 
later  in  this  chapter,  relies  on  its  schools  as  selective  media. 
Through  these  schools  the  special  aptitude  of  the  apprentice 
is  discovered  as  well  as  his  relative  abilities.  (For  form  of 
apprenticeship  agreement,  see  Appendix  E.) 

The  apprentice  records  in  school  and  shop  are  used  as 
the  basis  of  selection  of  those  to  be  given, .  first,  positions  of 
minor  responsibility,  and  later,  higher  executive  duties.  This 
company  is  a  fair  example  of  the  policy  of  developing  officials 
from  within  the  ranks,  through  considerable  periods  of  train- 
ing and  experience  in  the  several  positions  of  advancement. 
The  result  of  its  policy  has  been  the  development  of  one  of 
the  most  efficient  organizations  in  the  world.  It  offers  a 
worthy  example  for  other  organizations.  The  provision  of 
"a  way  out"  to  positions  of  responsibility  for  those  whose 
initiative,  energy,  inherent  ability,  and  hard  work  are  bound 
to  manifest  themselves  and  to  grow,  is  an  important  asset  of 
organization  assisted  by  training,  and  is  a  large  contributing 
factor  towards  economic  success. 

Increased  Training  Means  Increased  Production 

The  increase  in  operating  efficiency  through  the  agencies 
cited  as  the  product  of  training,  means  an  increase  in  profits. 
Some  of  the  savings  and  advantages  given  as  a  result  of 


TRAINING   THE   WORKER  99 

training  are  indirect  and  somewhat  intangible,  but  important 
nevertheless;  others  are  direct  and  bear  tangibly  on  operating 
conditions.  In  this  connection  it  may  be  noted  that  reports 
have  been  obtained  from  200  manufacturers  who  have  given 
training  a  long  and  severe  test.  Of  these  90  per  cent  state 
that  their  training  departments  are  definitely  profitable  and 
all  the  others  class  them  as  an  asset. 

Kinds  of  Industrial  Training 

The  kinds  of  industrial  training  which  have  had  the  largest 
development  may  be  classified  as: 

1.  Mechanical  trade  training  by  means  of  day-time  and 

evening  instruction. 

2.  Office  training. 

3.  Emergency  training,  which  assumed  great  importance 

during  the  period  of  the  war. 

4.  Special  training,  such  as  is  given  in  classes  organized 

to    provide    short,    intensive    courses    for    special 
development  or  educational  needs. 

Mechanical  Trade  Training 

Mechanical  trade  training  includes  not  only  the  day  train- 
ing systems  operated  by  corporations  themselves,  but  also 
those  operated  in  conjunction  with  local  educational  facilities. 
These  are  exemplified  by  the  co-operative  training  systems 
established  at  Fitchburg,  Massachusetts,  between  the  repre- 
sentative manufacturing  companies  and  the  local  high  school, 
and  at  Cincinnati,  Ohio.  According  to  this  plan  the  students 
alternate  weekly  or  bi-weekly  between  shop  and  school,  and 
through  combined  shop  experience  and  school  training  develop 
into  efficient  employees.  These  systems  have  been  highly  com- 
mended by  employers  and  school  authorities,  and  are  worthy 
of  consideration  by  those  desiring  to  establish  training.  The 


100  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

Simonds  Manufacturing  Company,  Fitchburg,  Massachusetts, 
among  others,  is  following  out  this  training  plan  with 
success. 

Many  companies  have  benefited  through  classes  conducted 
within  their  plants  by  state  or  university  extension  depart- 
ments, such  as  are  operated  in  Massachusetts  under  the  state 
board  of  education,  and  in  Wisconsin,  Iowa,  Chicago,  Texas, 
and  California,  under  the  state  university,  or  the  privately 
endowed  university. 

Supplementary  training  of  industrial  workers  is  furnished 
also  by  correspondence  schools,  both  those  privately  operated 
and  those  under  state  or  university  supervision. 

Office  Training 

Office  training  schools  for  both  day  and  evening  instruction 
are  operated  by  corporations  under  their  entire  control,  or  in 
co-operation  with  public  or  other  outside  educational  agencies. 
Instruction  by  correspondence  is  also  a  factor  to  be  considered 
in  the  training  of  office  employees. 

Emergency  Training 

Emergency  training  under  pressure  of  war  conditions 
assumed  great  importance  in  securing  and  maintaining  an 
adequate  labor  supply.  This  training  applied  particularly  to 
war  industries,  such  as  munition  factories  and  shipbuilding 
plants.  The  training  of  shipbuilders  was  carried  on  under  the 
supervision  of  the  Emergency  Fleet  Corporation.  The 
methods  of  training  for  instructors  and  men  in  the  several 
skilled  trades  followed  plans  arranged  in  detail  and  supervised 
by  the  Emergency  Fleet  Corporation.  The  following  chapter 
describes  the  training  system  which  was  used  by  the  Merchant 
Shipbuilding  Corporation  at  their  Chester  plant  and  carried 
out  under  the  above-mentioned  plan. 


TRAINING   THE   WORKER  IOI 

Determination  of  Method 

Methods  of  training  the  worker  will  depend  to  a  large 
extent  upon  instructors — their  mental  and  physical  char- 
acteristics and  temperament,  their  education,  and  their  ex- 
perience. An  instructor's  knowledge  of  the  psychology  and 
pedagogy  of  the  particular  trade  to  be  taught  aids  greatly. 
In  addition  to  the  influence  of  the  instructor,  physical  equip- 
ment for  training,  as  well  as  instruction  material — lesson 
sheets,  blue-prints,  etc. — bear  an  important  part.  Methods  of 
training  involve  also  details  of  correlation  of  shop,  school, 
and  class. 

Instructors 

For  success,  an  instructor  should  have  a  reasonably  good 
physical  bearing  and  personality.  He  should  also  be  mentally 
alert,  able  to  grasp  quickly  the  details  of  a  situation  and  direct 
his  instruction  along  logical  lines  in  connection  with  his  train- 
ing problem  as  a  whole.  He  should  preferably  have  a  wide 
experience  in  the  trade  or  subject  he  is  teaching.  The  tendency 
at  the  present  time  is  not  so  much  to  take  a  man  of  higher 
technical  training,  or  a  pedagogue,  and  teach  him  the  trade 
requirements,  as  it  is  to  take  a  common  mechanic  and  give 
him  "the  teaching  trade."  In  any  case,  the  broader  the  general 
intelligence,  and  the  industrial  and  training  experience  of  the 
instructor,  the  more  likely  he  is  to  adapt  himself  to  general 
conditions,  and  the  better  he  will  be  able  to  handle  himself 
and  his  work  properly  in  an  emergency.  He  should  be  able 
to  inspire  his  pupils,  to  keep  up  their  enthusiasm  for  the  work 
in  hand,  and  to  direct  them  kindly  but  firmly. 

A  knowledge  of  psychology  is  important  to  the  well- 
equipped  instructor.  Each  student  is  a  mental  and  physical 
unit  to  be  carefully  considered.  The  instructor  should  be 
familiar  with  the  laws  of  interest,  attention,  memory,  reason- 
ing, habit,  and  the  other  phases  of  mental  life.  It  would  be 


102  LABOR  MAINTENANCE 

well  for  him  to  read  carefully  such  books  as  William  James's 
"Psychology,  Briefer  Course";  Frank  Cramer's  "Talks  to 
Students  on  the  Art  of  Study";  and  Dearborn's  "How  to 
Study." 

Industrial  training  should  always  proceed,  however,  from 
the  concrete  to  the  abstract.  It  should  find  its  beginnings 
always  through  specific  problems  arising  in  the  daily  work. 
Generalization  should  come  as  a  later  step. 

Physical  Equipment 

The  physical  equipment  should  be  the  regular  equipment 
of  the  particular  trade,  and  should  be  handled  under  actual 
operating  conditions.  Industrial  training  in  any  particular 
trade  is  best  taught  right  on  the  job  on  actual  production 
work;  the  proper  atmosphere  so  essential  to  effective  indus- 
trial training  can  be  gained  in  no  other  way. 

Training  classes  or  groups  should  be  small  enough  to 
allow  of  individual  instruction.  This  is  necessary  on  account 
of  the  varying  degrees  of  experience,  preparation,  ability, 
adaptability,  and  temperament  of  learners.  All  industrial 
training  should  be  conducted  informally  and  in  such  a  way 
as  to  secure  confidence,  and  to  encourage  and  develop  pride 
and  interest  in  work. 

Special  problem  or  instruction  sheets  may  be  prepared 
as  aids  in  "putting  over"  the  mathematics  or  mechanics  in- 
volved in  the  trade,  together  with  shop  sketching  or  blue- 
print reading  required.  These  are  essential  in  many  branches 
of  industrial  training  and  represent  the  practice  of  progressive 
employers. 

Correlation  of  Shop  and  School 

In  organizing  industrial  training  of  any  kind,  the  condi- 
tions of  the  particular  industry  or  trade  or  department  should 
be  carefully  studied  and  the  training  program  arranged  in 


TRAINING   THE   WORKER  103 

accordance  with  the  particular  needs.  Sometimes  a  training 
plan  is  formulated  with  insufficient  co-operation  and  co-ordina- 
tion with  the  operating  and  production  heads.  Such  plans 
have  doubtful  possibilities.  It  is  unsatisfactory  to  make  an 
educational  suit  of  clothes  and  try  to  fit  it  to  a  production 
requirement.  The  logical  plan  is  to  begin  from  the  inside 
and  work  outward. 

In  order  to  make  this  training  completely  effective,  there 
must  be  hearty  co-operation  from  the  foremen.  Some  in- 
structors have  had  the  experience  of  frequently  seeing  their 
best  boys  leave  the  plant  to  work  elsewhere  because  of  higher 
wages  or  the  jealousy  of  foremen  who  feared  the  "rising 
generation"  of  young  men.  When  the  boy  is  ready  for  the 
job,  the  job  should  be  ready  for  the  boy.  Foremen  and  super- 
intendents must  be  educated  to  see  this.2 


*  For  an   exhaustive  discussion  of  training*  see  R.  W.  Kelly's  ''Training  Industrial 
Workers,''    Ronald    Press    Company,    1920. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

SOME  TRAINING  SYSTEMS 

Wide  Variety 

Provisions  for  training  worked  out  by  large  American 
concerns  are  often  very  complete,  but  they  differ  considerably 
in  details  according  to  local  conditions,  and  according  to  the 
special  nature  of  the  business.  Some  idea  of  the  character 
and  scope  of  such  educational  work  may  be  gained  from  an 
examination  of  a  few  specific  training  systems. 

The  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company 

The  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company  maintains  a  system 
of  shop  trade  apprenticeship  in  which  apprentices  receive  in- 
struction both  in  shop  and  school.  The  course  is  of  four  years' 
duration  for  most  of  the  trades. 

Apprentices  work  under  the  supervision  of  an  instructor 
in  the  several  shop  departments  in  accordance  with  a  definite 
schedule.  The  work  begins  with  the  erecting  shop,  and  the 
entire  course  requires  four  years  to  complete. 

The  school  instruction,  as  outlined,  covers  three  years  of 
42  weeks  each.  During  the  fourth  year  the  apprentice  does 
not  attend  the  school  but  may  be  assigned  to  special  duty  work 
which  will  give  him  training  in  a  particular  line.  Each  appren- 
tice receives  four  hours  of  instruction  per  week  in  periods 
of  two  hours  each.  These  periods  are  separated  by  a  number 
of  days  in  order  that  the  students  may  have  enough  study  time 
to  prepare  the  lessons  assigned.  The  apprentices  are  paid  at 
the  regular  rate  for  the  time  they  put  in  at  the  school  but 

104 


SOME    TRAINING    SYSTEMS  105 

their  evening  study  is  done  on  their  own  time.  They  are 
grouped  in  sections  or  classes  of  from  15  to  20,  so  graded 
as  to  provide  considerable  flexibility  for  giving  the  individual 
apprentice  the  kind  of  instruction  he  needs  in  order  to  develop 
his  latent  possibilities. 

The  subjects  consist  mainly  of  mathematics  and  mechanical 
drawing  taught  in  a  severely  practical  way  and  applied  to 
trade  requirements.  Such  parts  of  the  various  branches  of 
mathematics  are  given  as  apply  to  problems  met  in  trade  work. 
The  work  in  mechanical  drawing  consists  of  sketching  and 
drawing  machine  parts,  tracing,  blue-printing,  and  the  reading 
of  blue-prints.  In  addition  to  mathematics  and  drawing  as 
much  of  English  and  elementary  drawing  is  included  in  the 
curriculum  as  is  warranted  in  schools  whose  primary  object 
is  specific  trade  education.  Texts  are  prepared  by  the  school 
instructors  in  loose-leaf  mimeograph  or  blue-print  form. 
Practically  no  formal  text-books  are  used  except  for  reference 
purposes.  The  apprentices  are  led  on  ^gradually  from  the 
simple  to  the  more  difficult  problems,  and  are  taught  to 
visualize  their  instruction  and  receive  it  in  terms  of  their  shop 
environment.  The  purpose  is  to  teach  the  direct  practical 
use  of  principles  involved,  to  develop  methods  of  neatnes? 
and  accuracy  in  work,  and  to  foster  the  sense  of  duty  ana 
responsibility. 

Monthly  and  annual  reports  of  the  instruction  and  records 
of  the  individual  apprentices  are  submitted  by  the  supervisor. 
They  form  a  fairly  complete  record  of  the  aptitude  and  ability 
of  each  apprentice  and,  when  taken  in  connection  with  a  similar 
system  of  reports  from  the  shop  foremen,  form  a  valuable 
body  of  data  in  selecting  apprentices  for  the  various  services 
of  the  company.  The  instruction  offered  in  the  company 
schools  is  broad  enough  to  give  the  apprentice  the  basis  of  an 
education,  and  to  assist  him  in  becoming,  not  only  a  better 
mechanic,  but  a  good  citizen. 


106  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

The  Brown  and  Sharpe  Plan — Objects 

An  excellent  training  system  is  that  used  by  the  Brown 
and  Sharpe  Manufacturing  Company  of  Providence,  Rhode 
Island,  during  peace  times.  Under  war  conditions  they  estab- 
lished a  training  department  for  "breaking  in"  new  help  in 
short  periods.  Under  the  war  conditions,  of  course,  the  train- 
ing was  highly  specialized,  but  the  regular  apprentice  training 
is  designed  to  be  all-round. 

With  this  company  great  emphasis  is  placed  on  training 
for  the  machinist's  trade,  since  that  is  the  principal  trade 
involved  in  their  business.  Apprentices  are  also  trained  in 
drafting,  pattern-making,  moulding,  core-making,  and  black- 
smithing. 

The  company's  main  object,  however,  is  to  train  appren- 
ticeship, not  only  thoroughly  competent  mechanics,  but  men 
who  may  be  developed  for  positions  of  minor  responsibility 
in  the  management. 

School  Work 

In  order  to  give  the  apprentice  the  proper  experience  in 
his  trade,  he  is  transferred  from  one  department  to  another, 
learning  each  part  of  the  work  in  the  department  where  it  is 
done.  The  apprentices  start  with  the  simpler  operations  and 
are  gradually  advanced  to  those  requiring  greater  skill.  There 
is  also  some  training  along  lines  of  special  character.  Train- 
ing on  production  work  is  given  in  the  regular  shops.  In  this 
way  the  learners  have  the  opportunity  to  profit  from  observa- 
tion of  work  going  on  around  them,  as  well  as  from  that 
which  they  do  themselves. 

With  most  of  the  trades  that  are  taught,  school  work 
is  also  given  in  order  that  the  development  of  the  brain  of 
the  worker  may  keep  pace  with  the  increase  in  mechanical 
skill.  The  school  conducted  by  this  company  provides  instruc- 
tion in  machine-shop  mathematics,  in  making  working  draw- 


SOME   TRAINING    SYSTEMS  107 

ings,  and  in  planning  and  designing  tool  equipments.  Instruc- 
tion is  given  without  the  use  of  text-books  and  the  student 
is  not  required  to  learn  rules  and  formulae.  Problems  that 
actually  arise  in  the  shop  are  presented  in  regular  sequence 
as  to  subject  and  difficulty.  The  apprentices  are  also  taught 
the  principles  of  algebra,  geometry,  and  trigonometry  as  they 
apply  to  the  practical  problems  of  the  shop. 

The  machinist  apprentices  devote  two  hours  per  week  to 
school  work  for  the  first  two  years  of  their  apprenticeship, 
and  four  hours  per  week  during  the  last  two  years.  Pay 
at  regular  rates  is  given  for  their  time  spent  in  school. 

The  apprentice  course  is  in  charge  of  a  supervisor  of 
apprentices,  who,  with  an  assistant,  serves  as  instructor  in  the 
school  and  also  supervises  the  work  of  the  apprentices  in 
the  shop,  though  in  no  way  does  he  relieve  the  foremen  of 
responsibility.  In  addition,  the  instructor  takes  a  general  inter- 
est in  the  boy's  welfare  both  inside  and  outside  of  the  works. 

Requirements  for  Apprenticeship 

To  be  eligible  for  apprenticeship  a  boy  must  not  be  less 
than  1 6,  nor  more  than  18  years  of  age,  must  have  a 
common  school  education,  and  be  physically  fit.  Only  boys 
of  good  habits  whose  senses  are  unimpaired  are  accepted. 
A  preliminary  examination  in  elementary  arithmetic  is 
ordinarily  required. 

The  term  of  apprenticeship  is  four  years.  The  first  twelve 
weeks  of  work  constitute  a  trial  period.  At  the  successful 
completion  of  an  apprenticeship,  a  boy  is  paid  the  sum  of 
$150.  While  serving  his  time  the  boy  works  mostly  on  a  day 
rate,  but  during  part  of  his  apprenticeship  he  may  do  work 
at  piecework  rates  and  so  substantially  increase  his  earnings. 

The  work  of  the  Brown  and  Sharpe  Company  is  repre- 
sentative of  apprentice  training  practice  especially  for  machin- 
ists. Readers  who  are  particularly  interested  in  this  phase 


108  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

of  industrial  training  will  do  well  to  secure  a  copy  of  the 
bulletin,  Apprenticeship,  published  by  this  company. 

The  Cincinnati  Milling  Machine  Company 

The  Cincinnati  Milling  Machine  Company  has  a  well- 
organized  apprenticeship  system,  offering  two  courses  to  boys 
on  the  co-operative  plan  mentioned  in  Chapter  VII.  Course 
No.  i  is  for  boys  who  have  gone  through  the  first  two  years 
of  high  school  co-operative  work.  In  the  third  year  they 
become  employees  of  the  company  and  divide  their  time  in 
alternate  two-week  periods  between  the  school  and  the  shop. 
After  this  their  work  is  continuously  in  the  shop  except  that 
for  a  year  or  more  they  have  one-half  day  a  week  at  school 
on  advanced  courses. 

Boys  are  selected  for  the  course  on  the  basis  of  natural 
mechanical  aptitude,  good  health  and  habits,  and  the  willing- 
ness of  their  parents  to  co-operate.  They  receive  regular  pay 
for  time  spent  at  school,  and  those  who  complete  the  course 
receive  $100  bonus.  A  set  of  tools  costing  about  $35,  which 
is  later  deducted  from  the  bonus,  is  given  to  each  boy  at  the 
time  he  enters  on  the  course. 

A  notable  point  of  the  plan  is  the  provision  that  if  a 
boy  desires  to  enter  the  Co-operative  Engineering  Course  of 
the  University  of  Cincinnati  upon  his  graduation  from  high 
school  he  may  complete  his  apprentice  course  by  alternating 
in  two-week  periods  between  the  university  and  the  shop  for 
the  first  two  years  of  the  university  course.  During  the 
remaining  three  years  of  the  university  course  he  is  given 
an  opportunity  to  spend  his  shop  periods  in  the  engineering 
departments  of  the  company. 

If  a  boy  cannot  afford  to  go  through  high  school  and 
take  Course  No.  i  he  may  enter  Course  No.  2  consisting  of 
two  years*  work  in  some  special  branch  of  a  trade  with  a 
bonus  of  $50  when  the  course  is  completed.  Special  arrange- 


SOME    TRAINING    SYSTEMS  109 

ments  for  a  complete  shop  course  are  made  with  boys  who 
take  Course  No.  2  and  who  attend  night  school  to  round  out 
their  general  education,  if  they  evidence  a  desire  for  further 
technical  training. 

The  Simonds  Manufacturing  Company 

The  Simonds  Manufacturing  Company,  Fitchburg,  Massa- 
chusetts, has  an  educational  department  based  upon  sound 
principles.  Its  aim  is  "to  open  to  the  employees  of  all  grades, 
new  possibilities  within  themselves  and  in  their  work  and 
to  develop  the  idea  that  no  one  is  to  work  without  motive/' 
The  courses  take  up  the  history  of  saws,  the  mystery  of  steel, 
the  operations  of  saw-making,  the  uses  made  of  saws  in  mills, 
shop,  and  factories,  and  other  matters  which  stimulate  in- 
terest in  the  company's  product.  Experts  from  all  departments 
assist  in  giving  the  courses  and  often  outside  specialists  are 
brought  in.  Students  prepare  papers  and  talks. 

Among  the  subjects  taught  are  advertising — especially  as 
related  to  the  company's  products — business,  including  man- 
agement, organization,  accounting,  banking,  selling,  and  letter- 
writing.  The  latter  is  intended  for  stenographers  and  those 
who  dictate  letters.  There  are  also  courses  in  modern  methods 
of  management,  designed  especially  for  foremen. 

Department  heads,  clerks,  and  workmen  take  these  courses 
together.  Office  men  by  permission  may  take  shop  courses 
and  similarly  men  from  the  shop  may  take  the  office  courses. 

The  Larkin  Company 

An  interesting  method  of  encouraging  employees  to  im- 
prove themselves  is  used  by  the  Larkin  Company  of  Buffalo. 
An  employee  who  has  been  with  the  company  six  months  or 
more  and  wishes  to  attend  public  classes  of  instruction  in  any 
educational  subject  at  the  expense  of  the  company  may,  after 
his  application  is  approved,  attend  such  instruction  and  be 


IIO  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

reimbursed  provided  he  attains  a  standing  of  75  per  cent  in 
scholarship  and  90  per  cent  in  attendance. 

Goodyear  Tire  and  Rubber  Company — Special  Devices 

The  educational  activity  of  the  Goodyear  Tire  and  Rubber 
Company  is  varied  and  extensive.  In  1911  the  technical  men 
of  the  factory  organized  what  is  called  the  "Technical 
Society,"  whose  purpose  is  self-education  through  evening 
lectures  and  talks.  In  1915  the  scope  of  this  society  was 
broadened  and  all  employees  were  welcomed  to  membership. 
Talks  are  given  on  aeronautics,  mechanics,  the  chemistry  of 
rubber  manufacture,  as  well  as  on  shop  practice. 

Another  means  of  training,  somewhat  similar  in  nature 
is  offered  by  the  Efficiency  Club,  made  up  of  department  heads, 
office  men,  and  others  who  meet  fortnightly  to  study  com- 
mercial and  manufacturing  methods.  Discussions  and  debates 
make  the  meetings  interesting. 

The  most  striking  feature  of  the  educational  policy  of 
the  company  has  been  the  development  of  two  organizations 
of  picked  men,  trained  in  all  plant  operations,  and  known  as 
the  "Production  Squadron"  and  the  "Engineering  Squadron." 
When  it  is  found  that  the  production  of  a  certain  department 
is  falling  off,  these  men  are  put  into  it  to  build  it  up.  Their 
all-round  training  makes  them  specially  valuable.  About  1 ,000 
of  these  men  are  now  available.  A  "production  squadron'* 
consists  of  about  50  men;  an  "engineering  squadron"  is  some- 
what smaller. 

The  Factory  School 

The  factory  school  was  established  to  provide  instruction 
to  the  squadron  organizations  and  other  special  groups.  In 
1916  the  school  was  opened  to  all  Goodyear  employees.  There 
are  now  1 1  classrooms  located  on  the  top  floor  of  one  of  th.o. 


SOME   TRAINING   SYSTEMS  III 

buildings,  in  which  n  full-time  instructors  conduct  144  classes 
per  week.  To  take  care  of  all  shifts,  the  hours  of  the  school 
are  from  6:30  A.M.  to  10:30  P.M.  Included  in  the  membership 
of  the  school,  for  instance,  are  a  number  of  foremen  who  wish 
to  better  their  education. 

Each  course  consists  of  40  lessons.  The  subjects  taught  are 
as  follows: 

1.  For  production  squadrons.     Business  English,  arith- 

metic, rubber  manufacturing  practice,  economics, 
organization  and  management. 

2.  For  engineering  squadrons.     Shop  mathematics,  ele- 

mentary mechanical  drawing,  advanced  mechanical 
drawing,  elementary  principles  of  mechanics,  ad- 
vanced mathematics,  modern  business  methods. 

Other  subjects  taught  are,  business  English,  arithmetic, 
civil  government,  modern  business  methods,  commercial 
geography,  American  history,  Spanish,  public  speaking,  busi- 
ness law,  and  corporation  finance.  An  unusual  feature  is  the 
provision  of  courses  for  mutes.  Business  English  and  arith- 
metic are  the  main  subjects  taught.  New  subjects  are  added 
as  occasion  demands. 

In  addition  to  this  extensive  work  for  its  own  employees, 
the  company  offers  a  three  months'  factory  course  to  graduate 
engineers  and  gives  them  an  opportunity  to  obtain  practical 
experience  in  each  of  the  departments  of  the  factory. 

The  Western  Electric  Company 

Another  successful  training  system  is  that  of  the  Western 
Electric  Company  at  Hawthorne,  Illinois.  Their  training 
activities  include  schools  for  typists  and  comptometer  opera- 
tors, educational  courses  for  manufacturing  apprentices,  and, 
in  addition,  courses  for  college  graduates.  The  company 
sends  representatives  to  colleges  throughout  the  country,  to 


112  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

meet  the  men  before  graduation  and  explain  to  them  the 
opportunities  for  employment  with  the  company.  When  satis- 
factory arrangements  are  made  the  men  are  assigned  to  one 
of  three  courses — manufacturing,  engineering,  or  commercial, 
each  of  which  runs  for  a  period  of  49  weeks  and  includes 
lectures  and  practice. 

The  work  of  the  manufacturing  department  is  very  com- 
prehensive and  offers  a  wide  field  of  specialized  training. 
Opportunity  is  afforded  for  work  concerned  with : 

1.  Scientific  study  of  raw  material. 

2.  Standardization  of  methods  and  equipment. 

3.  Preparation  of  detailed  working  drawings. 

4.  Planning  and  laying  out  buildings. 

5.  Selection  of  proper  stocks. 

6.  Maintenance  of  standards  of  workmanship. 

7.  Determination  of  piecework  prices. 

8.  Efficient  handling  of  material. 

9.  Determination  of  manufacturing  costs. 

10.  Supervision  of  workmen. 

11.  Supervision  of  employees  engaged  in  installing  equip- 

ment throughout  the  country. 

The  engineering  department  is  constantly  studying  new 
methods  of  improved  communication  by  electricity  and  the 
problems  involved.  As  the  work  of  this  department  is  to  a 
large  extent  taken  up  with  research  it  cannot  be  easily  out- 
lined. But  the  work  is  none  the  less  important  and  affords 
opportunity  for  continuation  of  the  work  covered  by  the 
college  course. 

The  work  of  the  commercial  department  has  to  do  with 
warehousing,  purchasing,  accounting,  selling,  distributing,  and 
financing.  In  conjunction  with  each  of  these  main  divisions 
of  activity,  many  specialized  but  less  comprehensive  subjects 
are  studied. 


SOME   TRAINING  SYSTEMS  1 13 

Evening  courses  are  also  provided  for  employees,  and  are 
supervised  by  an  educational  committee  of  a  social  and  educa- 
tional organization  of  employees  known  as  the  Hawthorne 
Club.  The  company  furnishes  the  equipment  and  facilities 
for  instruction  and  shares  the  expense  of  administration  with 
the  club. 

The  following  courses  consisting  of  12  lessons  each  are 
given: 

Electricity  and  magnetism. 
Telephone  practice. 
Practical  mathematics. 
Manufacturing  principles. 
Mechanical  drawing. 
English. 

Principles  of  mechanics. 
Typewriting. 
Production  principles. 
First  aid. 

"The  work  in  them  is  planned  to  give  each  member  who 
enrolls  those  things  he  wants  and  needs,  but  which  he  finds 
it  impossible  for  one  reason  or  another  to  secure  elsewhere." 
The  classes  meet  once  a  week  from  5:45  to  7:15  P.M. 

A  works  training  department  gives  a  four-year  apprentice 
training  in  machine  trades  to  boys  between  the  ages  of  17 
and  20  who  have  had  the  equivalent  of  a  grammar  school 
education.  Boys  who  show  natural  aptitude  for  mechanical 
work  or  who  have  had  good  schooling  are  selected  on  the  basis 
of  competitive  entrance  examinations.  Four  hours  of  each 
week  are  spent  in  classroom  study  by  the  apprentices,  and 
the  remaining  time  is  devoted  to  mechanical  work  in  the  works 
training  division  or  in  operating  departments.  The  course 
of  study  covers  shop  mathematics  and  mechanical  drawing, 
lathe  and  screw  machine-work,  benchwork,  milling  and  grind- 


LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

ing,  automatic  screw  machine-work  and  handscrew  machine- 
work. 

Foremen's  clerks  are  given  clerical  instruction  in  a  special 
section  which  meets  three  hours  weekly.  All  who  receive 
training  are  paid  by  the  company. 

Special  schools  are  maintained  for  women  employees  who 
wish  to  become  typists,  stenographers,  or  comptometer 
operators. 

The  Packard  Motor  Car  Company 

At  the  Packard  Motor  Car  Company,  Detroit,  until  re- 
'cently,  employees  were  trained  in  the  shop  under  the  most 
competent  foremen,  but  the  disadvantages  were  many.  In- 
struction by  foremen  was  found  to  be  costly;  it  reduced  the 
productivity  of  the  departments  where  such  instruction  was 
given  and  resulted  in  much  waste  of  material.  And  when  the 
employee  was  ready  for  a  regular  production,  he  knew  only 
the  process  in  which  he  was  trained.  To  meet  the  need  for 
more  fundamental  training  a  special  school  was  established. 

As  soon  as  one  applies  for  admission  to  the  school  he 
is  interviewed  to  determine  what  vocation  he  desires  to  follow. 
If  it  is  found  that,  owing  to  physical  peculiarities,  his  choice 
is  unwise,  the  applicant  is  advised  to  undertake  something 
else. 

Special  instructors  carry  on  the  work.  The  Packard  Com- 
pany, like  other  concerns,  has  found  that  best  results  are 
achieved  by  individual  attention  to  students.  On  elementary 
work  it  was  found  that  one  instructor  could  efficiently  handle 
five  students,  but  that  on  machine-work  one  instructor  for 
every  three  students  was  found  to  be  absolutely  necessary. 
One  instructor  for  two  students  proved  most  successful. 

Not  only  the  correct  method  of  performing  the  job  is 
taught,  but  physical  training  is  given  in  how  to  do  the  work 
easily.  In  its  work  with  women  the  company  took  especial 


SOME   TRAINING   SYSTEMS  1 15 

pains  to  harden  the  students,  during  the  training  period,  so 
as  to  enable  them  to  stand  at  their  work  without  undue  fatigue. 
Where  possible,  chairs  were  provided.  The  period  of  time 
during  which  the  students  were  required  to  stand  while  at  the 
job  was  gradually  lengthened  until,  when  the  course  was 
completed,  they  were  able  to  stand  during  the  full  working 
period.  The  rate  of  adjustment  of  the  individual  to  the  work 
varies  in  accordance  with  the  severity  of  the  task. 

The  Wanamaker  Plan 

Department  store  training  systems  are  well  exemplified 
by  that  of  the  John  Wanamaker  establishment  in  Philadelphia. 
Twenty-five  years  ago  a  body  of  the  younger  employees  of 
the  store  was  organized  for  educational  purposes  into  a  John 
Wanamaker  Commercial  Institute.  This  Institute  now  offers 
free  instruction  in  common  school  branches,  together  with 
elementary  business  subjects,  musical,  social,  physical,  and 
military  training.  Instruction  is  given  in  both  day  and  evening 
classes  and  includes  specifically  such  subjects  as  spelling, 
"better  English,"  reading,  penmanship,  practical  drawing, 
mechanical  lettering,  design-work  and  stencil-making,  store 
and  community  civics,  commercial  and  industrial  geography, 
music  and  physical  culture. 

For  adult  employees  the  American  University  of  Trade 
and  Applied  Commerce  has  been  founded.  The  purpose  of 
this  institution  is  twofold: 

1.  To  give  employees  an  opportunity  of  continuing  their 

education  while  earning  a  livelihood. 

2.  To  develop  better  individuals,  more  useful  members 

of  society,  and  better  citizens. 

The  work  is  designed  to  supplement  the  primary  and 
secondary  education  of  the  John  Wanamaker  Commercial 
Institute.  Such  technical  subjects  as  pertain  to  the  employee's 


Il6  LABOR  MAINTENANCE 

job  are  taught,  and  with  them  such  cultural  subjects  as  per- 
tain to  health,  thrift,  and  proper  living. 

The  Filene  Plan 

An  unusual  plan  of  educational  work  in  department  stores 
is  that  conducted  at  William  Filene's  Sons  Company  in  Boston 
for  the  3,000  employees.  The  training  work  at  this  store 
has  two  phases: 

1.  The  training  of  the  individual  for  his  specific  task. 

2.  The  development  of  group  consciousness  through  the 

organization  of  those  doing  similar  work  through- 
out the  store. 

Such  matters  as  job  analysis  and  standards  of  work  are 
brought  before  the  organized  groups  for  their  determination. 
When  the  number  of  the  workers  in  a  group  is  small  they 
meet  in  one  body,  but  if  the  number  is  too  large,  individuals 
are  chosen  to  represent  the  group  at  its  meetings.  For  ex- 
ample, the  salespeople,  numbering  about  800,  must  conduct 
their  meetings  through  representatives  chosen  from  the  selling 
departments.  The  heads  of  stock  in  large  garment  sections, 
numbering  only  23  in  all,  meet  in  a  single  group. 

Miss  Bernice  M.  Cannon,  the  Educational  Director  of  the 
store,  illustrates  the  method  by  the  following  statement  about 
one  group  of  workers,  the  ''floor  clericals,"  who  are 'the  clerical 
assistants  to  the  floor  superintendent  in  the  selling  departments. 
There  are  about  twenty  of  these  workers  in  the  store. 

As  a  result  of  our  work,  they  are  organized  under  their 
own  leadership.  Their  job  was  analyzed  and  the  group 
agreed  on  the  responsibilities  they  considered  were  theirs  to 
assume.  The  representative  of  the  training  department  is 
the  instructor  of  new  people  to  the  group.  When  a  vacancy 
occurs,  she  is  appointed  temporarily  to  hold  the  job,  to  be 
assured  that  the  particular  job  is  well  organized.  An 


SOME   TRAINING    SYSTEMS  1 17 

assistant  is  appointed  and  the  job  is  gradually  turned  over 
according  to  a  definite  plan.  It  takes,  on  the  average,  a 
week  to  train  a  floor  clerical.  When  the  week  is  over,  the 
educational  representative  reports  to  the  executive  of  the 
department  that  the  person  is  trained  and  that  she  is  ready 
to  stand  the  test  of  the  person  doing  satisfactory  work.  She 
then  withdraws.  In  this  way  the  instructor  constantly  goes 
back  and  forth  to  the  operating  job  and  is  thus  kept  alive 
to  the  difference  which  the  public  demand  may  make  of  it. 
Not  only  this,  but  differences  in  practice  not  known  before, 
may  be  revealed-  and  the  instructor  then  goes  to  the  group 
for  a  decision  on  the  standard  practice.  This  particular 
group  discovered  that  the  quality  of  their  work  affected 
that  of  the  auditing  office.  They  voted  as  a  group  to  be 
checked  for  a  time  by  the  auditing  office,  reserving  the  right 
to  check  the  auditing  office  in  return. 

One  most  important  result  of  such  training  in  group 
organization  and  in  democratic  group  leadership  should  be 
the  elimination  of  the  greatest  evil  of  big  business,  the  poor 
leadership  of  the  intermediate  executive  to  whom  managers 
have  to  entrust  the  smaller  units  of  their  business  and  who 
to  so  great  an  extent  are  responsible  for  the  autocratic  man- 
agement that  adds  to  industrial  unrest. 


Other  Plans 

Another  excellent  apprenticeship  plan  is  that  of  the  Rem- 
ington Arms  Union  Metallic  Cartridge  Company  of  Bridge- 
port, Connecticut.  An  outline  of  the  terms  and  form  of  their 
apprentice  agreement  will  be  found  in  Appendix  E. 

Many  employers  throughout  the  country  make  provision 
for  reduction  in  the  period  of  apprenticeship  in  case  of  unusual 
application  and  ability.  A  large  plant  in  Wilmington,  Dela- 
ware, for  example,  gives  a  reduction  ranging  up  to  six  weeks 
when  the  boy  in  his  second  or  third  year  shows  conscientious 
effort.  Another  concern  grants  a  reduction  of  from  two  to 
three  weeks  in  the  course  if  the  boys  take  outside  work, 
generally  a  course  in  drafting  at  the  local  Y.  M.  C.  A.  An- 


Il8  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

other  well-known  establishment  in  the  same  city  offers 
a  free  evening  technical  course  in  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  after  a 
year's  service,  provided  that  the  boy's  attendance  has  been 
97  per  cent  or  more  of  the  working  year. 

The  General  Electric  Company  maintains  schools  within 
its  own  plants  for  training  men  for  the  several  mechanical 
trades  required  in  electrical  manufacturing,  especially  for 
training  machinists.  Instruction  is  given  during  working 
hours  on  actual  production  work.  The  training  room  is  in 
effect  a  large  machine-shop  set  aside  for  training  purposes. 
The  men  under  training  also  attend  classes  which  meet  during 
the  week  for  two-hour  periods  to  study  the  mathematical  and 
physical  principles  of  their  trades  and  to  learn  how  to  read 
blue-prints. 

Much  the  same  system  is  followed  by  the  Westinghouse 
Electric  and  Manufacturing  Company,  the  National  Cash 
Register  Company,  and  other  representative  machine  and 
mechanical  products  manufacturing  companies,  as  well  as  by 
the  Pennsylvania  Railroad,  the  Atchison,  Topeka  and  Santa 
Fe  Railroad  and  other  representative  roads. 

The  Curtis  Publishing  Company,  in  Philadelphia,  and  the 
R.  R.  Donnelly  and  Sons  Company,  in  Chicago,  conduct 
schools  for  the  printers  whom  they  employ.  Learners  are 
instructed  during  working  hours  while  under  pay.  The  in- 
struction is  intended  to  develop  compositors  and  men  ex- 
perienced in  the  several  printing  trades. 

Training  Shipbuilders 

The  training  of  shipbuilders  is  still  an  important  matter, 
even  though  the  war  is  over,  because  of  the  demand  for  ships 
to  replace  the  tonnage  lost  by  warfare  and  because  of  the 
movement  toward  developing  a  merchant  marine.  The  num- 
ber of  men  available  in  the  several  skilled  shipbuilding  trades 
is  still  relatively  small. 


SOME   TRAINING   SYSTEMS  1 19 

The  plan  of  the  Merchant  Shipbuilding  Company, 
described  below,  which  was  employed  during  the  war,  is 
typical  of  that  used  by  many  companies  in  the  United  States. 
According  to  the  plan,  men  from  trades  allied  to  those  in 
shipbuilding,  and  even  men  wholly  unskilled,  were  trained 
in  some  skilled  shipbuilding  trade  by  instructors  who  were 
themselves  competent  mechanics  and  also  graduates  of  a  gov- 
ernment instructor  training  center.  At  these  training  centers 
which  were  established  at  various  points  in  the  United  States 
the  instructors  were  taught  the  most  effective  way  of  ' 'put- 
ting over"  their  instruction.  The  plan  of  the  Merchant  Ship- 
building Company  embraces  in  general  methods  of  preparation, 
presentation,  application,  and  check. 

The  trades  in  which  instruction  was  given  included  ship- 
fitting,  pipe-fitting,  riveting,  and  so  on.  The  learners  were 
taught  during  working  hours,  under  pay,  and  instruction  was 
given  on  the  job  on  actual  production  work.  At  times  the 
instruction  on  the  job  was  supplemented  by  classroom  in- 
struction in  such  work  as  blue-print  reading,  laying  out,  etc. 

Aids  for  Establishing  and  Conducting  Industrial  Training 

Employers  who  are  conducting  industrial  training,  or  who 
are  contemplating  establishing  such  training,  may  receive  aid 
from  one  or  more  of  the  following  sources:  * 

1.  Federal  funds  are  available  through  the  Smith-Hughes 
Act  for  the  training  of  teachers  of  trade  and  industrial  sub- 
jects and  the  payment  of  the  salaries  of  teachers  of  these 
subjects.      These   funds  must  be  administered   through  the 
several  state  boards  of  education.     Details  of  the  plan  may 
be  obtained  from  the  Federal  Board  for  Vocational  Educa- 
tion, Washington,  D.  C. 

2.  State  aid  may  be  available  through  several  agencies  for 


1  The    general    subject    of    training   the    worker    is    treated    in    full    in    "Training 
Industrial  Workers,"  by  Roy  W.  Kelly,  published  by  the  Ronald  Press  Company,  1920. 


120  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

industrial  training.  This,  for  example,  may  be  through  state- 
aided  industrial  schools,  or  through  educational  extension 
divisions  operated  under  the  state  board  of  education,  or  a 
state  university.  A  request  for  information  to  the  state  board 
of  education  will  bring  the  desired  facts  on  opportunities 
offered  by  the  state  in  the  interest  of  industrial  training. 

3.  Local  aid  may  be  available  through  special  funds  or 
through  day  or  evening  schools   operated  under  the  public 
school  system  or  under  private  auspices. 

4.  The  Y.  M.  C.  A/s  in  the  larger  cities  give  educational 
courses  which  may  be  valuable  as  supplementary  training  for 
the  industrial  worker. 

5.  The    following   associations   have   been   organized   to 
promote  industrial  training,  and  the  employer  will  do  well 
to  make  use  of  their  past  work  and  experience  in  organizing 
and  developing  the  industrial  training  for  his  employees: 

National   Society   for  Vocational  Education,    140  West 

42nd  Street,  New  York  City. 
National    Association    of    Corporation    Schools,    Irving 

Place  and  I5th  Street,  New  York  City. 
National    Society    for    the    Promotion   of    Engineering 

Education,  Pittsburgh. 


CHAPTER  IX 

THE  PROBLEM  OF  AMERICANIZATION 

The  Influence  of  Foreign-Born  upon  Industry 

Since  the  war,  great  interest  has  been  aroused  in  the 
problem  of  aliens  and  their  relation  to  industrial  management. 
This  interest  is  partly  owing  to  the  fact  that  a  large  number 
of  the  700,000  illiterates  between  the  ages  of  21  and  31 
discovered  by  the  registration  in  the  first  selective  draft  were 
foreign-born.  The  importance  of  the  problem  may  be  better 
realized  through  a  study  of  the  number  of  foreign-born  living 
in  this  country.  The  census  of  1910  showed  every  seventh 
person  in  our  population — not  including  Porto  Rico  and  the 
Philippines — to  be  of  foreign  birth.  Of  these  persons  1,650,- 
ooo  were  illiterate.  This  figure  does  not  include  all  who  are 
non-English  speaking,  but  only  those  who  are  unable  to  read 
or  write  in  any  language.  A  large  number  of  foreign-born 
who  can  speak  or  read  English  but  very  little,  or  not  at  all, 
are  employed  in  industrial  work  and  have  offered  an  un- 
usually fertile  field  for  propaganda  inimical  to  the  industrial 
and  social  welfare  of  the  country.  In  a  recent  census  of 
10,000  foreign-born  workers  embracing  58  nationalities  at  the 
Bethlehem  Steel  Company,  5,300  showed  no  interest  in  citizen- 
ship. Industrial  unrest  among  foreign  workers  has  com- 
plicated the  problem  and  is  forcing  employers  to  think  seri- 
ously of  methods  of  bringing  about  some  solution. 

The  present  tide  of  emigration  is  making  the  influence 
of  the  foreign-born  upon  industry  felt  in  a  negative  way. 
Appeals  are  being  made  to  those  of  foreign  birth  to  return 
to  their  old  country  and  help  repopulate  and  reconstruct 

121 


122  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

devastated  territory.  That  these  appeals  have  been  effective 
is  indicated  by  the  pressure  which  the  banks  feel  through  with- 
drawal of  savings  by  those  contemplating  a  return  to  Europe. 

"Industrial  Americanization" 

One  method  of  solving  these  industrial  arid  social  prob- 
lems is  known  as  "industrial  Americanization,"  which  aims 
to  bring  the  immigrant  to  a  better  understanding  of  industry 
and  to  make  clear  his  privileges,  rights,  and  obligations  in  the 
community — particularly  in  regard  to  his  work.  As  defined 
by  Charlton  Edholm  of  the  National  Americanization  Com- 
mittee, the  fundamental  purposes  of  industrial  Americaniza- 
tion are: 

1.  The    interpretation    of   American   ideals,    traditions, 

standards,  and  institutions  to  foreign-born  peoples. 

2.  The  acquirement  of  a  common  language  for  the  entire 

nation. 

3.  The  development  of  a  universal  desire  of  all  peoples 

in  America  to  unite  in  a  common  citizenship  under 
one  flag. 

4.  The  combating  of  anti-American  propaganda  activi- 

ties and  schemes  and  the  stamping  out  of  sedition 
and  disloyalty  wherever  found. 

5.  The  elimination  of  causes  of  disorder,  unrest,   and 

disloyalty  which  make  fruitful  soil  for  un-American 
propagandists  and  disloyal  agitators. 

6.  The  abolition  of  racial  prejudices,  barriers,  and  dis- 

criminations, of  colonies  and  immigrant  sections, 
which  keep  people  in  America  apart. 

7.  The  maintenance  of  an  American  standard  of  living 

as  applied,  for  instance,  to  the  use  of  American 
foods,  the  preparation  of  foods,  and  the  care  of 
children. 


PROBLEM   OF  AMERICANIZATION  123 

8.  The  discontinuance  of  discriminations  in  housing,  care, 

protection,  and  treatment  of  aliens. 

9.  The  creation  of  an  understanding  of  and  love   for 

America  and  the  desire  of  immigrants  to  remain  in 
America,  have  a  home  here  and  support  American 
institutions  and  laws. 

"What  America  Means" 

Once  in  a  long  while  a  distinguished  citizen  and  public 
official  gives  voice  to  ideals  of  Americanization  in  terms  which 
deserve  the  closest  attention  of  all  serious  workers  in  this 
field.  Franklin  K.  Lane,  recently  Secretary  of  the  Interior, 
has  delivered  such  a  message.  It  should  be  reprinted  on  large 
posters  and  hung  up  in  every  school,  in  every  shop,  and  indeed 
wherever  any  work  of  transforming  the  alien  into  an  American 
citizen  goes  on.  The  following  paragraphs  from  Mr.  Lane's 
address  on  "What  America  Means"  deserve  special  emphasis : 

Americanism  is  entirely  an  attitude  of  mind;  it  is  the 
way  we  look  at  things  that  makes  us  Americans.  .  .  . 

I  would  give  to  the  man  whom  I  wished  to  Americanize 
(after  he  had  learned  the  language  of  this  land)  a  knowledge 
of  the  physical  America,  so  as  to  get  an  admiration,  not 
only  of  its  strength,  of  its  resources,  of  what  it  could  do 
against  the  world,  but  that  he  might  have  pride  in  this  as 
a  land  of  hope  and  a  land  in  which  men  won  out.  I  would 
take  him  across  the  continent. 

I  would  show  him  the  good  and  the  bad.  I  would  show 
him  the  struggle  that  we  are  making  to  improve  the  bad 
conditions.  I  would  tell  him  not  that  America  is  perfect, 
that  America  is  a  finished  country,  but  I  would  say  to  him: 
America  is  an  unfinished  land.  Its  possibilities  shall  never 
end,  and  your  chance  here  and  the  chances  of  your  children 
shall  always  be  in  ratio  to  your  zeal  and  ambition.  .  .  . 

And  I  would  give  to  that  man  a  knowledge  of  America 
that  would  make  him  ask  the  question,  "How  did  this  come 
to  be?" 


124  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

And  then  he  would  discover  that  there  was  something 
more  to  our  country  than  its  material  strength. 

It  has  a  history.     It  has  a  tradition. 

.The  march  of  civilization  is  the  epic  of  man  as  a  work- 
ingman,  and  that  is  the  reason  why  labor  must  be  held 
high  always. 

We  have  nothing  precious  that  does  not  represent 
struggle.  We  have  nothing  of  worth  which  does  not  repre- 
sent effort.  We  have  nothing  of  lasting  value  that  does  not 
represent  determination.  We  have  nothing  admirable  which 
does  not  represent  self-sacrifice.  We  have  no  philosophy 
except  the  philosophy  of  confidence,  of  optimism,  and  faith 
and  the  righteousness  of  the  contest  we  make  against  na- 
ture. .  .  . 

That  is  the  reason,  my  Russian  friend,  my  American 
friend,  why  this  is  a  haven  to  you.  Bring  your  music, 
bring  your  art,  bring  your  soul  fulness,  your  ancient  ex- 
perience, to  the  melting  pot  and  let  it  enrich  our  mettle.  We 
welcome  every  spiritual  influence,  every  cultural  urge,  and 
in  turn  we  want  you  to  love  America  as  we  love  it  because 
it  is  holy  ground — because  it  serves  the  world. 

Americanization — A  Humanizing  Program 

The  foregoing  extracts  emphasize  the  importance  of  a 
sympathetic  attitude  for  successful  Americanization  work. 
Moreover,  an  understanding  of  the  alien  and  a  recognition 
of  the  necessity  of  working  with  rather  than  for  him  in  the 
factory,  school,  or  citizenship  club  are  essential.  When  he 
is  treated  with  understanding  sympathy  he  responds  and  gives 
his  best  effort  in  co-operation.  The  spirit  in  which  Ameri- 
canization work  is  carried  on  is  fully  as  important  as  the 
method  and  the  program.  Experience  has  shown  how  easy 
it  is  to  fail  entirely  through  over-reliance  on  what  might  be 
called  the  mechanical  side  of  the  work,  and  through  an  in- 
sufficient grip  on  the  human-nature  facts  involved. 

On  the  other  hand,  good  impulses  alone  do  not  go  far,  and 
the  best  of  programs  can  be  ruined  by  a  lack  of  intelligence. 


PROBLEM   OF   AMERICANIZATION  1^5 

Nothing  has  been  accepted  more  fully  by  industrial  managers 
of  experience  than  the  proposition  that  if  the  work  to  be  done 
concerns  human  beings,  whatever  may  be  its  nature,  only 
competent  persons  should  be  placed  in  charge.  Unless  real 
intelligence  underlies  work  of  this  kind,  the  effort  is  sure 
to  prove  futile,  and  not  improbably  harmful;  for  human 
nature,  and  rather  sensitive,  self-conscious  human  nature,  is 
the  raw  material  with  which  the  Americanization  worker  deals. 
After  all,  we  really  cannot  Americanize  the  alien;  he  must 
do  that  for  himself.  It  is  for  us  to  show  the  way;  and  as 
Americanization  requires  an  atmosphere  of  mutual  confidence, 
it  is  absolutely  essential  to  win  the  good-will  of  those  whom 
we  would  influence.  We  must  look  for  the  best  methods, 
and  try  to  sum  up  in  a  practical  way  just  what  is  and  what 
is  not  desirable. 

The  Importance  of  First  Impressions 

When  the  immigrant  comes  to  this  country,  he  brings  with 
him  the  desire  to  enjoy  the  freedom  and  reputed  good-will 
of  America.  Whatever  his  nationality,  the  lonesome  stranger 
is  ready  to  respond  to  the  least  sign  of  cordiality  and  con- 
sideration. Sympathetic  assistance  in  learning  the  habits, 
customs,  and  traditions  of  the  new  country  will  bring  out 
the  best  in  him.  If  he  is  to  become  an  integral  part  of  our 
industrial  structure  he  must  not  be  treated  as  an  interloper, 
but  as  a  friend.  He  must  find  it  worth  while  to  make  this 
country  his  permanent  home  and  in  doing  so  must  understand 
our  ideals  and  see  the  relationship  of  our  industrial  and 
political  organization  to  his  own  job  and  his  personal  welfare. 

These  facts  are  appreciated  and  utilized  by  such  concerns 
as  the  Schwartzenbach-Huber  Company  which  is  carrying  on 
an  Americanization  campaign  in  its  New  England  plants  as 
a  part  of  the  campaign  for  labor  maintenance.  The  company 
believes  that  more  can  be  done  to  establish  the  right  spirit 


126  LABOR  MAINTENANCE 

at  the  time  when  the  foreign-born  worker  receives  his  first 
impressions  than  later  when  his  opinions  have  been  formed. 
Its  policy,  therefore,  is  to  treat  the  newcomer  with  the  courtesy 
and  consideration  with  which  an  American  would  desire  to  be 
treated  in  a  strange  country,  and  American  employees  of  the 
plant  are  encouraged  to  make  their  foreign  co-workers  feel  at 
home. 

Managerial  Attitude — A  Determining  Factor 

The  real  work  of  industrial  Americanization  begins  with 
employers,  foremen,  and  bosses,  for  their  attitude  is  the 
determining  factor  in  the  success  of  any  Americanization 
plan.  To  the  foreigner,  they  are  the  persons  who  represent 
this  country  and  American  ideals.  These  men  must  get  away 
from  the  notion  that  foreign-born  workers  are  merely  "wops," 
"mutts,"  and  men  without  intelligence.  A  manager  of  a  large 
industry  in  speaking  of  his  foreign  employees  to  the  author 
called  them  "animals  who  want  nothing  but  money,"  and 
another,  expressing  his  labor  needs,  exclaimed,  "We  want  men 
who  don't  use  their  brains ;  we  want  foreigners !"  How  little 
did  these  men  know  of  the  forces  at  work  among  these 
"foreigners"  to  capitalize  their  man-power  and  help  "show 
the  bosses  that  we  are  human  beings  and  intend  to  take  the 
control  of  industry  away  from  the  slave-drivers!" 

The  Right  Attitude 

In- one  of  the  largest  shoe  factories  in  the  world,  employing 
many  foreigners,  a  deep  undercurrent  of  unrest  asserted  itself 
from  time  to  time.  Unexpectedly,  a  notice  came  to  the  man- 
agement asking  for  an  immediate  increase  in  wages  and  mak- 
ing other  demands.  If  such  demands  were  not  met  within 
24  hours,  the  total  foreign  working  force  (about  8,000)  would 
quit.  No  trade  union  issue  was  involved.  The  workers  were 
not  organized  into  trade  unions.  The  men  were  unorganized 


PROBLEM   OF   AMERICANIZATION 

and  there  was  serious  danger  of  violence  if  the  men  went  on 
strike.  The  president  of  the  company  conceived  the  idea  of 
meeting  the  men  personally,  and  posted  such  a  request  printed 
in  various  languages  throughout  the  plant. 

That  night  a  great  crowd  of  the  men  gathered  together 
and  waited  for  the  president  to  appear.  They  had  never  seen 
the  president.  When  he  appeared  there  was  an  immediate 
hush.  With  a  smile  on  his  face  and  in  the  most  courteous 
language  he  asked,  through  an  interpreter,  that  the  men  give 
him  an  opportunity  to  go  over  the  whole  cause  of  dispute 
with  representatives  whom  they  would  select ;  these  representa- 
tives could  then  go  over  the  books  of  the  concern  and  see 
for  themselves  whether  an  increase  at  that  time  was  possible. 
In  the  meantime  would  they  please  extend  the  time  for  answer 
to  their  demands?  From  several  parts  of  the  room  men 
sprang  up  and  shouted  in  their  native  tongues.  Finally  one 
who  spoke  English  brokenly  was  allowed  to  talk  directly  while 
the  others  listened.  This  is  what  he  said : 

"Mr.  President,  we  thank  you  for  your  kindness  in  coming 
to  speak  to  us  personally  and  we  wish  to  say  we  appreciate 
your  courteous  consideration  of  our  requests.  We  will  go 
back  to  work  and  send  you  our  men  to  talk  with  you." 

Wild  applause  followed  and  the  men  left  in  a  spirit  far 
different  from  that  in  which  they  came.  They  selected  their 
committee  which  went  over  the  books  and  reported  that  an 
increase  could  not  be  fairly  asked  at  the  time.  There  was  no 
strike. 

The  Americanization  Committee 

Like  other  service  work,  Americanization  depends  for  its 
success  upon  the  full  co-operation  of  all  the  parties  in  the 
industrial  enterprise.  The  alien  should  be  given  a  place  in 
the  councils  dealing  with  this  type  of  plant  activity.  One  of 
the  best  methods  of  handling  this  work  is  through  a  com- 


128  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

mittee  of  workers  and  representatives  of  the  management, 
which  should,  if  possible,  represent  every  nationality  in  the 
plant.  We  are  always  in  danger  of  overlooking  human  dis- 
tinctions of  importance  when  we  generalize  about  people  in  a 
wholesale  way.  All  aliens  are  not  alike,  though  some  of  their 
problems  may  be;  nor  are  all  nationalities  in  daily  contact 
likely  to  conform  to  the  rough  classifications  we  may  use 
concerning  them.  The  Americanization  Committee  of  the 
United  States  Rubber  Company  plant  at  Naugatuck,  Con- 
necticut, is  composed  of  two  men  selected  from  each  racial 
group.  They  have  done  a  good  deal  to  stimulate  activity 
among  foreign-born  workers. 

The  committee,  thus  constituted,  should  hold  meetings 
often  to  discuss  plans  and  procedure.  Such  representation 
will  go  a  long  distance  to  bridge  the  gap  between  the  manage- 
ment and  the  new  Americans.  They  will  receive  this  attention 
as  a  sign  of  respect  and  consideration,  and  their  appreciation 
will  take  the  practical  form  of  helping  to  keep  up  attendance, 
interest,  and  loyalty  for  the  project.  Moreover  they  will  now 
and  again  offer  hints  and  counsel  of  utmost  practical  use- 
fulness. 

Where  the  above  suggested  method  has  been  tried,  an 
enthusiasm  has  been  developed  which  compensated  the  man- 
agement many  times  over.  In  New  Britain,  Connecticut,  for 
example,  a  number  of  the  factories  are  co-operating  in  this 
work,  and  have  committees  some  of  whose  functions  are: 

1.  To    assist    all    employees    in   acquiring   the    English 

language. 

2.  To  distribute  advertising  leaflets  and  posters  in  order 

to  stimulate  evening  school  attendance. 

3.  To  plan  for  special  recognition  of  those  who  attend 

evening  classes,  and  to  encourage  absent  students  to 
return. 


PROBLEM   OF   AMERICANIZATION  129 

4.  To  promote  citizenship  interest  among  employees. 

5.  To  enlist  foremen's  interest  and  to  help  them  develop 

a  more  thoughtful  and  sympathetic  attitude. 

6.  To  provide  opportunities  for  social  contact,  through 

such  activities  as  community  singing  and  so  on. 

The  Influence  of  Plant  Spirit 

The  best  and  most  lasting  achievements  in  Americaniza- 
tion work  have  resulted  from  indirect,  rather  than  direct  in- 
fluences. If  the  spirit  and  surroundings  of  the  plant  definitely 
suggest  Americanism,  a  large  part  of  the  work  has  been  accom- 
plished, and  a  fertile  soil  for  further  successful  work  has 
been  prepared.  Posters,  flags,  first-rate  and  cleanly  surround- 
ings, produce  an  atmosphere  distinctive  of  American  work 
places.  This  environment  is  in  sharp  contrast  to  that  which 
many  an  alien  has  been  accustomed  to  abroad.  As  the  proper 
atmosphere  has  a  direct  bearing  on  the  success  of  any  Ameri- 
canization plan,  every  executive,  every  foreman,  and  every 
employee  must  be  impressed  with  the  matter  of  maintaining 
American  standards  with  regard  to  the  immediate  surround- 
ings of  shop,  mine,  and  mill.  This  requires  attention  to  detail, 
but  the  effort  will  bring  about  better  discipline,  and  greater  care 
of  tools  and  other  property.  Right  plant  relationships  and 
an  interest  in  the  constructive  educational  work  of  the 
organization  will  also  be  manifest. 

Getting  Behind  the  Returns 

A  point  to  be  borne  in  mind,  however,  in  checking  up 
Americanization  projects  is  the  inadequacy  of  routine  sta- 
tistics, necessary  though  they  may  be.  Figures  can  never 
tell  us  how  the  people  influenced  by  various  projects  really 
have  been  aflected.  There  has  been  a  tendency  to  make  much 
of  classroom  records.  It  is  important  to  go  behind  the  returns. 
To  accomplish  this,  a  closer  contact  with  the  groups  being 


13°  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

Americanized  is  required  than  is  always  found.  These  groups 
have  something  to  say,  if  wise  methods  are  used  in  getting 
at  their  ideas.  At  times,  they  are  treated  in  too  mechanical 
a  fashion,  and  much  helpful  counsel  is  lost,  which  if  gathered 
in  time  would  do  much  to  help  improve  the  work.  Every 
graduated  group  should  be  treated  as  an  alumni  group  whose 
interest  in  the  future  good  of  the  service  that  has  helped  them 
is  expected  for  the  sake  of  others  who  come  after  them.  There 
is  cumulative  good-will  in  such  a  treatment  of  the  groups, 
and  the  assurance  of  continued  improvement  and  larger  effec- 
tiveness of  the  whole  enterprise. 

A  California  Commission 

A  few  years  ago  the  state  of  California  established  a 
commission  on  housing  and  immigration.  This  commission 
has  been  a  great  success  because  from  the  very  outset  its 
members  sought  to  see  the  immigrant  problem  not  only  from 
their  own  standpoint,  but  from  that  of  the  immigrant.  They 
believed  in  him;  they  felt  and  showed  their  respect  for  his 
customs  and  his  traditions.  Nothing  they  ever  said  caused  any 
loss  of  self-esteem  on  the  part  of  those  they  sought  to  help. 
By  building  on  the  loyalties  that  were  natural  to  the  alien 
they  placed  the  new  loyalties  they  sought  to  instil  on  a  much 
stronger  foundation. 

The  new  environment  of  the  alien  was  a  matter  of  large 
concern  to  the  commission.  Was  the  local  environment,  they 
inquired,  such  as  helped  or  retarded  real  Americanization? 
Were  influences  at  work  on  the  alien  which,  unless  checked, 
would  embitter  his  spirit  and  develop  in  him  a  hostile  attitude 
toward  the  new  land?  In  other  words,  those  practical  Cali- 
fornians  threw  mouth-filling  phrases  aside  and  faced  the  facts 
squarely.  They  saw  that  poor  housing  was  an  enemy  of 
Americanization ;  that  abuses  and  oppressions  of  various  kinds 
suffered  by  the  alien  at  the  hands  of  both  his  own  more 


PROBLEM   OF   AMERICANIZATION  I31 

sophisticated  countrymen  and  those  who  called  themselves 
Americans  were  doing  more  than  anything  else  to  alienate 
and  prejudice  him.  These  things  had  to  be  dealt  with  in  a 
sensible  manner  if  Americanization  could  make  any  headway 
at  all. 

Report  of  the  Commission 

Here  is  the  commission's  own  statement  of  just  what  fol- 
lowed: 

From  the  start,  in  the  scheme  of  the  commission,  these 
tasks  outlined  themselves,  following  the  belief  that  before 
a  man  should  be  asked  to  become  a  good  American  by  being 
worthy  of  his  surroundings,  those  surroundings  should  be 
made  worthy  of  a  good  American. 

The  immigrant  did  not  understand  his  rights,  did  not 
understand  our  laws,  his  ignorance  was  exploited  on  every 
hand;  so  the  commission's  Bureau  of  Complaints  came  into 
being,  to  advise  him,  to  adjust  his  difficulties,  and  to  remove 
the  causes  for  those  difficulties. 

In  the  labor  camps  he  worked — for  the  most  part — under 
wretched  conditions  which  he  could  not  change,  and  the 
remedy  for  this  was  the  commission's  Bureau  of  Labor 
Camp  Inspection  which,  in  five  years,  has  revolutionized  the 
labor  camps  of  the  state. 

He  lived  by  his  work  and  little  help  could  be  given  him 
if  he  were  deprived  of  that  work;  and  the  question  of 
unemployment  with  the  problems  leading  up  to  it,  the  prob- 
lems arising  from  it,  and  possible  solutions,  became  part 
of  the  commission's  undertaking. 

From  the  moment  of  his  arrival  he  was  crowded  into 
the  badly  congested  quarters  of  the  city  and  so  the  problem 
of  housing  was  accepted  as  part  of  the  bigger  problem  of 
immigration,  and  the  commission  set  about  the  task  of  awak- 
ening the  state  to  its  obligation  of  furnishing  proper  living 
conditions  even  for  those  who  can  pay  little  rent. 

He  did  not  know  the  English  language,  and  the  com- 
mission's Bureau  of  Immigrant  Education  turned  to  this  new 
task  of  education. 


132  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

Even  so,  he  could  not  wait  to  learn  the  language  of 
America  before  assuming  some  of  the  duties  toward  her; 
her  ideals  and  hopes  had  to  be  made  clear  to  him  in  his 
own  tongue ;  and  the  commission's  foreign-language  speakers 
set  out  upon  their  mission  of  enlightenment. 

An  Ohio  Plan 

One  of  the  best  plans  for  developing  Americanization  work 
through  industry  is  that  outlined  by  H.  T.  Waller,  Director 
of  the  Bureau  of  Education  of  the  B.  F.  Goodrich  Company 
of  Akron,  Ohio,  for  the  Ohio  Council  of  National  Defense. 
The  first  step,  according  to  this  plan,  is  to  secure  the  services 
of  a  man,  if  possible  from  the  working  force  of  the  plant 
undertaking  the  campaign,  who  is  possessed  of  broad  sym- 
pathies, tact,  and  vision  as  well  as  a  practical  education.  He 
must  be  the  person  to  focus  the  interest  of  the  community, 
the  industry,  and  the  non-English-speaking  groups  upon 
Americanization  work  and  this  necessitates  freedom  from  bias 
against  any  creed  or  nationality.  The  next  step  is  for  the 
official  head  of  the  company  to  hold  a  conference  of  foremen 
and  sub-foremen  who  handle  foreign-born  workers  in  any 
appreciable  number,  and  to  present  to  them  the  problems  of 
the  immigrant  as  related  to  national  and  industrial  success. 
The  person  at  the  head  of  the  educational  work  in  American- 
ization might  then  be  constituted  an  assistant  to  each  depart- 
ment foreman,  to  work  with  him  for  the  men  in  that  depart- 
ment. 

Emphasis  on  Practical  Results 

The  fact  has  been  already  emphasized  in  these  pages,  that 
the  purpose  of  the  factory  is  production,  and  that  education 
can  have  no  place  in  the  factory  except  as  it  is  an  influence 
in  steadying  or  increasing  production.  In  considering  the 
advisability  of  installing  a  course  only  one  thing  should  be. 
considered — will  it  bring  about  practical  results? 


PROBLEM   OF   AMERICANIZATION  133 

Experience  has  proved  very  definitely  that  a  knowledge  of 
the  following  subjects  increases  production: 

1.  English.    A  working  knowledge  of  English  enables  the 
worker  to  understand  notices  and  instructions,   and  conse- 
quently reduces  the  number  of  accidents  and  the  amount  of 
waste.    The  economic  value  of  the  worker  is  thereby  increased 
and  the  teaching  of  the  subject  in  the  factory  is  justified. 

2.  American  history.     The  history  and  character  of  great 
Americans  and  their  contribution  to  the  growth  of  the  United 
States  teaches  by  example  the  part  which  new  Americans  must 
play  in  the  life  of  the  country. 

3.  Civics.     Whether  a  man  is  naturalized  or  not  he  has 
certain  rights  and  duties  under  our  government.     If  these 
rights  or  privileges  and  their  corresponding  obligations  are 
taught,  the  worker  will  better  understand  such  matters  as  the 
restrictions  placed  upon  strikes  when  the  welfare  of  the  public 
is  concerned.    This  in  turn  influences  production  and  so  makes 
the  teaching  of  the  duties  of  citizenship  worth  while. 

The  Scope  of  Americanization  Work 

The  programs  of  these  two  groups  in  California  and  Ohio 
have  been  cited  because  they  indicate  the  scope  of  American- 
ization. Carrying  on  their  work  in  widely  separated  parts 
of  the  country,  both  groups — after  right  living  and  working 
conditions  were  obtained  for  the  men — aimed  to  accomplish 
two  things:  to  teach  the  foreign-born  worker  our  language, 
and  after  he  had  gained  that  knowledge,  to  teach  him  some- 
thing about  our  American  institutions  and  ideals.  The  im- 
portance of  a  right  environment,  of  course,  should  never  be 
overlooked.  Not  the  foreign-born  alone,  however,  but  all 
employees  respond  to  right  housing  conditions  and  the  other 
phases  of  service  work  considered  elsewhere  in  this  book. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  special  need  of  the  foreigner  is 
to  learn  the  language  of  this  country  and  to  become  acquainted 


134  LABOR  MAINTENANCE 

with  American  institutions.  Although  the  foreign-born 
worker  must  assume  some  of  his  duties  to  this  country  before 
he  can  possibly  have  time  to  learn  our  language,  Americaniza- 
tion work  is  greatly  facilitated  by  a  knowledge  of  English  on 
his  part.  For  this  reason  the  fundamental  principles  and  the 
best  methods  of  teaching  English  deserve  attention  first 
wherever  an  Americanization  campaign  is  started.  These  are 
presented  in  Chapter  X.  A  consideration  of  the  work  of 
acquainting  him  with  American  institutions  is  taken  up  in 
Chapter  XL 


CHAPTER  X 

TEACHING  THE  FOREIGNER  OUR  LANGUAGE 

The  Importance  of  Teaching  English 

The  work  of  Americanizing  the  foreign  worker  is  aided 
greatly  when  special  classes  are  established  in  which  he  may 
receive  knowledge  of  the  English  language.  These  classes 
may  be  conducted  by  the  factory,  by  the  public  schools,  or  by 
the  factory  in  co-operation  with  the  schools.  There  is  no 
element  of  philanthropy  in  this;  nor  is  there  anything  of 
the  paternal.  The  problem  has  been  approached  from  the 
standpoint  of  good  business  and  because  experience  showed 
that  these  efforts  have  beneficial  results.  Thousands  of  dol- 
lars are  lost  each  year  through  accidents  which  are  the  result 
of  the  failure  of  foreign-born  workers  to  understand  verbal 
or  written  orders.  Large  sums  are  lost  through  wasted 
products.  Most  serious  of  all  is  the  unnecessary  loss  of  life 
and  limb,  traceable  to  the  lack  of  knowledge  of  the  English 
language. 

An  appreciation  of  the  saving  resulting  from  teaching 
English  may  be  gained  by  considering  the  results  of  educa- 
tional work  among  immigrant  workers  carried  on  by  D.  E. 
Sicher  and  Company,  manufacturers  of  muslin  garments  in 
New  York  City.  The  earning  capacity  of  the  workers  in  this 
concern  in  the  first  year  of  the  classes  increased  from  10  to 
40  per  cent.  Moreover,  the  amount  of  supervision  necessary 
was  considerably  reduced  and  two  instructors  were  able  to  do 
the  work  which  previously  required  the  services  of  four  or 
five. 

135 


136  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

Forming  Classes  for  Study 

A  special  committee  appointed  by  the  National  American- 
ization Conference  held  in  Washington,  May,  1919,  to  study 
methods  of  teaching  English  to  foreigners  concluded  that  the 
best  results  are  obtained  by  grouping  students  according  to: 

1.  Race.    This  is  of  special  importance  with  beginners  who 
cannot  speak  or  understand  English.     "In  this  way  racial 
antipathies  are  avoided  and  groups  that  are  homogeneous  both 
as  to  racial  backgrounds  and  intellectual  achievements  can  be 
brought  together." 

2.  Sex.    If  the  number  of  pupils  is  insufficient  to  warrant 
separate  classes,   men   and  women   should   be   divided   into 
separate  groups  in  the  class. 

3.  Knowledge  of  English.     Three  groups  consisting  of 
beginning,  intermediate,  and  advanced  students  are  usually 
made.    The  first  group  should  be  made  up  of  those  who  have 
no  knowledge  whatever  of  English,  or  very  little.    The  second 
group  should  consist  of  those  who  speak  with  some  fluency 
though  incorrectly,  who  can  read  simple  English  sentences  and 
perhaps  write  short  sentences  from  dictation.    The  third  group 
may  contain  those  who  are  able  to  talk  on  subjects  of  general 
interest,   who  can  read  the  newspapers,  and  who  are  able 
to  write  a  short  business  letter  fairly  well. 

The  following  outline  is  offered  by  the  committee  for  the 
convenience  of  persons  who  are  called  upon  to  classify  pupils 
according  to  their  knowledge  of  English: 

I.  Beginning  group,  comprising: 

(a)  Illiterates  who: 

Speak  and  understand  no  English. 
Speak  and  understand  some  English. 

(b)  Those  educated  in  some  foreign  language  who : 

Speak  and  understand  no  English. 
Speak  and  understand  some  English. 


TEACHING   FOREIGNERS   OUR  LANGUAGE  J37 

2.  Intermediate  group,  comprising  those  who: 

(a)  "Speak  much  English  poorly,  or  a  little  well." 

(b)  Read   simple   English    sentences   with   under- 

standing. 

(c)  Write  short  sentences  from  dictation. 
,3.  Advanced  group,  comprising  those  who: 

(a)  Talk  about  matters  of  general  interest. 

(b)  Read  the  newspaper. 

(c)  Write  short  business  letters. 

The  size  of  each  class  will  be  a  matter  determined  by 
the  teacher.  Some  can  handle  a  large  number  of  workers 
but  best  results  will  be  achieved  with  groups  of  about  ten. 
The  larger  the  group  the  more  uniform  should  be  the  grade 
of  the  pupils. 

Selection  and  Training  of  Teachers 

Special  care  should  be  taken,  in  selecting  teachers,  for 
the  success  of  classes  in  English  depends  largely  on  the  quality 
of  the  teaching.  When  the  teachers  are  of  the  same  nationality 
or  race  as  the  pupils,  attendance  at  classes  will  be  larger  and 
more  constant  than  otherwise. 

Moreover,  when  the  teacher  understands  the  linguistic 
difficulties  of  his  pupils,  he  can  succeed  better  with  them.  He 
should,  however,  use  his  native  tongue  but  little  in  the  work 
with  pupils. 

It  is  advisable  to  form  teachers  into  normal  classes  for 
specialized  training.  At  the  Bethlehem  Steel  Company  the 
normal  class  meets  an  hour  and  a  half  each  week  during  the 
school  term.  At  these  conferences,  problems  and  methods 
are  discussed  in  detail.  The  teachers  are  taken  through  the 
plant  to  learn  something  of  the  processes  in  which  their  pupils 
are  engaged,  the  tools  used,  and  the  working  conditions. 
Special  instruction  is  given  them  as  to  how  to  meet  their  men. 


I38  LABOR  MAINTENANCE 

The  importance  of  cordiality  and  sincerity  in  all  their  dealings 
with  pupils  is  emphasized.  Teachers  are  also  instructed  to 
make  their  classes  informal  and  to  teach  the  men  "what  they 
want  to  know." 


Fostering  Interest 

The  meetings  must  go  with  "pep."  Every  pupil  should 
feel  that  he  has  found  a  new  friend.  The  school  must  provide 
exceptional  attractions  to  offset  the  natural  weariness  that 
comes  from  the  hard  work  of  the  day.  Regular  social  enter- 
tainments for  -  the  pupils  and  their  friends  in  which  the 
programs  are  made  up  largely  by  the  pupils  are  productive  of 
good  results.  In  this  way  opportunity  for  the  expression 
of  the  fine  things  in  the  national  life  of  the  various  groups 
should  be  given.  The  folk  dances  of  the  various  nations 
appeal  to  Americans  and  offer  a  splendid  method  of  bringing 
the  various  nationalities  together  on  a  basis  of  friendship  and 
co-operation. 

The  Problem  of  Attendance 

After  the  classes  have  been  organized,  teachers  will  be 
confronted  with  the  problem  of  securing  attendance.  An 
interpreter  who  is  intelligent  and  sympathetic  will  be  able  to 
show  the  workers  the  advantages  of  the  plan.  He  should 
dwell  on  the  fact  that  the  plan  is  co-operative  and  means 
progress  and  profit  for  themselves  as  well  as  benefit  to  the 
employer.  Workers  who  are  reluctant  to  join  because  they 
feel  too  old  can  be  induced  to  take  the  course  of  30  lessons 
for  six  weeks  so  that  they  may  be  enabled  to  get  a  fairly  good 
working  knowledge  of  English. 

But  under  no  circumstances,  however,  should  a  foreman 
be  allowed  to  bulldoze  employees  into  attendance  at  classes. 
The  element  of  compulsion  must  be  absent. 


TEACHING   FOREIGNERS   OUR   LANGUAGE  139 

Language  of  the  Classroom 

The  National  Americanization  Committee  recommends  the 
use  of  the  English  language  exclusively  in  teaching,  but  gives 
a  warning  that  "this  method  to  be  satisfactory  must  be  com- 
pletely and  carefully  organized  and  the  material  for  the  early 
lessons  selected  with  great  care."  Emphasis  should  be  placed 
on  words  that  the  pupil  uses  in  his  daily  life. 

Methods  of  Teaching 

At  first  the  method  of  teaching  English  may  consist  largely 
in  getting  the  students  to  converse  and  to  make  up  little  oral 
or  written  compositions  or  "themes,"  as  they  are  called,  each 
consisting  of  a  few  simple  sentences.  The  sentence  rather 
than  the  single  word  is  to  be  taken  as  the  unit  of  language. 
Sentences  should  "follow  one  another  in  logical  sequence  in 
time,  as  this  will  be  a  great  aid  to  the  memory  of  the  pupil," 
and  should  be  arranged  in  groups  of  four  or  five  each  "so  as 
to  form  resting  places  for  the  pupils."  With  beginners  the 
teacher  may  use  to  advantage  twenty-five  to  thirty  "themes" 
of  fifteen  sentences  each  before  organizing  lessons  in  regular 
paragraph  form. 

Variety  Aids  Greatly 

The  importance  of  variety  in  review  work  is  brought  out 
by  the  committee  and  these  suggestions  made  to  the  teacher: 

1.  Question  the  pupils,  requiring  answers  that  will  use 

words  taught  in  the  sentences  of  the  various  themes. 

2.  Give  commands,  either  orally  or  in  written  form  on 

the  blackboard,  using  words  previously  taught,  and 
ask  the  pupil  to  execute  the  command  and  then  tell 
what  he  did. 

3.  Let  the  pupils  question  each  other  about  the  lessons 

as  soon  as  they  have  gained  sufficient  vocabulary. 


140  LABOR  MAINTENANCE. 

4.  Dramatize  universal  activities,  such  as  buying  a  hat, 
applying  for  work,  making  a  deposit  in  a  savings 
bank. 

Drill  in  Grammatical  Expressions 

Little  time  should  be  given  to  formal  rules  and  definitions 
of  grammar,  but  there  should  be  much  drilling  in  grammatical 
forms  and  expressions.  "Sound  drills  are  valuable  to  aid  in 
the  correction  of  foreign  accent,  enunciation,  and  pronuncia- 
tion. Sound  drills  should  center  around  words  in  the  theme, 
but  no  pupil  should  practice  the  sounds  until  after  the  teacher 
has  carefully  shown  how  the  sounds  are  developed."  The 
study  of  sounds  should  be  kept  distinct  from  the  reading  exer- 
cise, otherwise  the  reading  will  lose  its  continuity  and 
interest. 

Oral  instruction  and  practice  in  speaking  should  have  first 
place  in  the  program.  After  the  ear  is  made  familiar  with 
the  "theme,"  blackboards  can  be  used  and  the  lesson  can  be 
copied  into  note-books  from  the  blackboards.  In  this  pro- 
cedure "use  is  made  first,  of  the  ear  in  listening;  then  mouth 
in  repeating;  then  eye  in  reading  from  the  blackboard,  and 
finally  to  both  eye  and  hand  in  copying  into  note-book." 

Work  of  the  Bethlehem  Steel  Corporation 

One  of  the  best  plans  for  teaching  English  is  that  of  the 
Bethlehem  Steel  Corporation.  As  experience  with  volunteer 
teachers  proved  unsatisfactory,  the  company  employed  teachers 
from  Lehigh  University  and  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  These  instructors, 
who  have  proved  to  be  very  successful,  receive  $2  a  night. 
The  plan  for  recruiting  members  of  the  English  classes  as 
described  in  the  National  Efficiency  Quarterly  for  November, 
1918,  by  J.  R.  Mulligan,  who  supervises  the  night  classes,  is 
somewhat  as  follows: 


TEACHING   FOREIGNERS    OUR   LANGUAGE  141 

1.  Favorable  articles  regarding  the  opening  of  the  classes, 
work  proposed,  and  benefits  offered,  are  secured  in  the  news- 
papers and  foreign  publications  which  circulate  in  the  locality 
and  are  to  be  followed  up  by  items  as  to  the  progress  of  the 
classes. 

2.  Personal  calls  are  made  on  the  pastors  of  churches  to 
which  the  foreign-born  belong  and  the  plans  discussed  with 
them  to  obtain  their  co-operation  and  assistance  in  overcoming 
difficulties. 

3.  This  is  followed  by  personal  visits  with  reliable  inter- 
preters to  the  various  national  societies  and  lodges  representing 
the  working  force. 

4.  Announcements  of  classes  are  made  in  the  churches 
at  least  two  Sundays  before  the  instruction  begins  and  the 
pastors  should  be  requested  to  urge  members  to  join. 

5.  Posters    in   English   and   other   languages   are   placed 
throughout  the  plant  urging  enrolment  in  the  classes. 

6.  Talks  are  had  with  the   foremen  for  the  purpose  of 
securing  their  co-operation  in  urging  workers  to  attend  the 
classes. 

The  plan  during  the  course  of  the  first  lessons  is  to  grade 
the  pupils  by  nationalities.  When  they  are  able  to  speak 
English  fairly  well,  nationalities  are  disregarded  and  the 
students  are  graded  according  to  their  ability.  An  interpreter 
is  used  in  the  first  stages  of  the  instruction.  Three  classifica- 
tions of  pupils  are  made: 

1.  Those  who  have  had  previous  education  in  their  own 

language. 

2.  Those  uneducated  but  possessing  knowledge  of  a  little 

English. 

3.  Illiterates. 

Two  nights  a  week  are  devoted  to  the  work.  Attendance 
is  checked  by  a  system  of  red  and  yellow  record  cards.  The 


142  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

former  are  retained  by  the  pupils  and  the  latter  are  kept  on 
file.  The  cards  are  numbered  serially  to  represent  class  meet- 
ings, and  the  checking  is  done  in  the  following  manner.  When 
the  class  assembles,  those  present  turn  their  cards  in  to  the 
clerk  who  punches  the  serial  numbers  in  red  and  yellow  cards. 
Cards  are  not  punched  for  absent  students. 

The  method  of  teaching  is  by  means  of  visible  objects. 
To  keep  up  the  enthusiasm  of  pupils,  frequent  entertainments 
furnished  by  the  pupils  are  held  during  part  of  the  lesson 
hour  and  occasionally  cigars  and  cigarettes  are  passed  around. 

The  Ford  School 

The  Ford  English  School  was  started  in  May,  1914,  with 
one  teacher  and  two  pupils.  Within  a  short  time  there  were 
2,700  pupils.  Since  the  opening  of  the  school  14,000  men 
have  graduated.  The  teachers  are  all  Ford  employees  who 
volunteer  their  time.  The  course  consists  of  72  lessons,  taught 
in  32  weeks,  two  hours  a  day  on  two  days  a  week.  Graduates 
of  the  course  receive  diplomas  certifying  that  they  can  read, 
write,  and  speak  English,  sufficient  for  the  ordinary  conduct 
of  their  affairs.  These  diplomas  are  accepted  by  the  judges 
of  the  United  States  courts  when  the  holder  applies  for 
naturalization,  as  sufficient  proof  of  knowledge  of  the  English 
language.  No  further  examination  is  required. 

The  method  of  teaching  English  is  well  worth  noting 
because  of  its  sound,  practical  quality.  C.  C.  DeWitt,  who 
has  charge  of  English  instruction  at  the  Ford  Company,  makes 
it  a  point  to  have  each  lesson  drive  home  some  bit  of  practical 
information  about  matters  in  the  daily  life  of  the  worker,  in 
addition  to  increasing  the  pupils'  vocabulary.  "We  show  them 
how  to  work  about  a  drill  press  with  sleeves  rolled  up  and 
a  bow  tie  instead  of  a  four-in-hand  tie  which  gets  caught  in 
the  machinery,"  says  Mr.  DeWitt.  Several  men  lost  their 
lives  through  wearing  long  ties ;  in  the  English  lesson  the  point 


TEACHING   FOREIGNERS   OUR   LANGUAGE  143 

is  brought  out  that  "safety  first"  ties  are  the  only  ones  to 
wear.  Everything  is  presented  in  dramatic  form  because  much 
more  can  be  acquired  through  the  eye  than  through  the  ear. 
Drill  is  first  given  on  one  word,  then  two,  then  combinations 
of  two  or  three  words,  and  so  on. 

At  this  school  employees  are  taught  to  speak  English 
within  six  weeks.  Since  the  school  has  been  in  operation, 
accidents  in  the  factory  have  decreased  54  per  cent.  The 
employees  are  able  to  read  safety  notices  and  understand 
instructions. 

The  Goodyear  Rubber  Company's  Plan 

More  than  900  foreigners  have  attended  the  classes  recently 
started  by  the  Goodyear  Rubber  Company,  Akron,  Ohio.  The 
hours  of  the  classes  are  arranged  to  suit  the  working  hours 
of  the  men.  During  the  war  the  school  was  in  session  five 
days  of  the  week  from  7  A.M.  to  n  P.M.  Classes  are  divided 
into  two  groups,  one  for  elementary  students  and  the  other 
for  advanced  pupils.  Instruction  to  beginners  starts  with  the 
names  of  common  objects  which  they  generally  see  around 
them  and  introduces  the  adjectives  and  verbs  used  in  ordinary 
conversation.  Emphasis  is  placed  upon  conversational  Eng- 
lish. The  advanced  group  is  taught  reading,  spelling,  and 
composition.  For  this  group  some  of  the  lessons  in  civics  and 
composition  are  taken  from  the  history,  literature,  and  folk 
stories  of  the  native  land  of  the  student. 

Other  Factories  Conducting  Classes 

At  the  Chester  Shipbuilding  Company,  every  man  who 
enters  the  Americanization  classes  must  deposit  one  dollar, 
not  as  tuition  fee,  but  as  evidence  of  his  good  faith  in  com- 
pleting the  course.  The  dollar  is  returned  to  him  at  that  time. 
The  lessons  are  planned  to  cover: 


144  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

1.  Conversational  English. 

2.  Reading  and  writing. 

3.  Reading  of  shipyard  bulletins,  posters,  and  announce- 

ments. 

Pupils  are  encouraged  to  add  to  their  knowledge  of  words 
by  discussing  topics  connected  with  their  work. 

An  unusual  method  of  teaching  English  is  that  practiced 
by  the  Cleveland-Cliffs  Iron  Company  of  Gwinn,  Michigan, 
which  gives  daily  instruction  to  foreign-born  workers  who 
are  in  the  company's  hospital.  Forty-five  minutes  are  devoted 
each  day  to  the  instruction  of  each  patient  and  he  is  given 
some  material  to  prepare  for  the  following  day. 

In  order  to  narrow  the  gulf  which  exists  between  the 
foreign-born  and  their  children  born  in  this  country,  the 
American  Rolling  Mill  Company  wisely  tries  to  secure  the 
aid  of  the  children  in  inducing  their  parents  to  learn  the 
English  language.  To  stimulate  this,  prize-letter  contests  were 
conducted  in  the  public  schools.  The  president  of  the  com- 
pany offered  ten  silk  flags  for  the  best  letters  from  children 
in  grades  four  to  eight.  The  letters  were  written  to  fathers 
and  mothers  stating  reasons  why  they  ought  to  learn  the 
English  language  and  become  American  citizens. 

Classes  in  English  are  conducted  on  company  time,  during 
the  day  and  in  the  evening.  Interest  in  these  classes  is  stimu- 
lated by  Americanization  meetings  in  which  the  foreign  socie- 
ties take  part.  A  unique  feature  of  the  company's  plan  is 
the  class  for  foreign-born  women.  That  the  classes  have  been 
a  success  is  proved  by  the  reduction  in  accidents  and  the 
increasing  good  spirit  among  the  workers. 

The  Willard  Storage  Battery  Company,  Cleveland,  issues 
the  following  interesting  bulletin  to  its  employees: 

Education  is  the  great  leveler,  and,  the  beauty  of  it  is, 
it  always  levels  up.     Men  who  speak  foreign  tongues  find 


TEACHING   FOREIGNERS   OUR  LANGUAGE  145 

as  soon  as  they  can  handle   English  that  new  and  better 
opportunities  open  for  them. 

To  you  Americans — what  are  you  doing  to  help  the  man 
who  works  beside  you  who  cannot  speak  English?  Are 
you  urging  upon  him  the  necessity  and  advantages  of  at- 
tending our  classes  in  order  to  learn  the  English  language? 
These  classes  are  open  Monday,  Wednesday,  and  Friday  at 
5  P-M. 

Classes  in  English  at  the  Norton  Company,  Worcester, 
Massachusetts,  meet  twice  a  week  during  regular  working 
hours.  The  company  appeals  to  its  English  speaking  em- 
ployees to  urge  the  foreign-born  to  learn  English.  Assistance 
is  given  in  preparation  for  naturalization. 

Half-time  pay  is  offered  t0  employees  of  a  large  rubber 
manufacturing  plant  in  Connecticut  for  attendance  at  English 
classes  which  come  at  noon,  in  the  afternoon,  and  in  the 
evening.  Prizes  are  offered  to  encourage  better  work.  In- 
struction is  conducted  along  conversational  lines  and  is  related 
to  the  daily  life  of  the  men  at  home,  in  the  plant,  and  in  the 
community. 

At  the  Hamilton  Mills,  Southbridge,  Massachusetts,  the 
work  of  the  school  for  foreign-born  employees  is  considered 
so  important  that  the  period  from  4:30  to  5:30  P.M.  is  given 
to  the  work.  The  last  half -hour  of  this  period  is  contributed 
by  the  company  provided  workers  devote  a  half-hour  of  their 
own  time  for  the  same  purpose. 

At  the  L.  Candee  Company  in  New  Haven,  pupils  are  paid 
25  cents  a  lesson.  The  sessions  are  one  and  a  half  hours 
each.  Foremen  are  urged  to  use  only  English  in  talking  to 
employees.  The  classes  co-operate  closely  with  the  work  of 
Americanization. 

Co-operation  with  Public  Schools 

One  method  of  handling  the  school  work  is  through  co- 
operation with  the  public  schools.  When  a  plant  does  not 


146  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

have  its  own  classes  it  may  follow  the  example  of  the  Converse 
Rubber  Shoe  Company  of  Maiden,  Massachusetts,  which  pays 
its  men  overtime  for  evening  school  work  in  the  public  schools. 
Foreign-born  workers  are  urged  through  the  employees'  paper 
and  the  foremen  to  take  advantage  of  this  opportunity 

The  Carnegie  Steel  Company  of  Youngstown,  Ohio,  en- 
courages its  employees  to  attend  the  night  schools  held  in  the 
assembly  hall  of  the  plant  and  takes  attendance  at  such  classes 
into  consideration  when  planning  promotions. 

Using  Company  Time 

Night  schools  in  cities  are  nearly  always  poorly  attended. 
The  factory  worker  is  usually  too  tired  at  the  end  of  the 
workday  to  absorb  much  from  evening  instruction,  and  ex- 
perience has  shown  that  it  is  only  those  who.  are  naturally 
studious  whose  attendance  is  continuous.  With- this  in  view 
a  large  number  of  plants  furnish  the  room  and  equipment 
for  the  instruction  at  the  plant  on  company  time,  securing  the 
teachers  from  the  local  school  authorities.  Other  plants  secure 
their  teachers  from  the  factory  force  on  a  volunteer  basis  or 
engage  teachers  who  are  specially  paid. 

Teaching  English  Pays 

Facts  tending  to  show  that  it  pays  to  teach  the  foreigner 
English  have  been  introduced  throughout  this  chapter.  The 
experience  of  many  manufacturers  proves  that  a  knowledge 
of  English  on  the  part  of  the  foreigner  results  in  fewer  acci- 
dents. Less  products  are  wasted.  But  most  important  of  all, 
the  effort  pays  in  better  plant  spirit  and  co-operation  between 
management  and  workers.  In  summing  up  the  case  it  might 
be  well  to  add  the  testimony  of  three  companies  whose  activi- 
ties in  the  industrial  field  are  widely  separated. 

Records  of  the  Commonwealth  Steel  Company  show  that 
at  one  time  80  per  cent  of  the  injuries  received  by  their 


TEACHING   FOREIGNERS   OUR  LANGUAGE  147 

workmen  were  among  those  who  spoke  no  English  although 
these  employees  constituted  only  34  per  cent  of  the  force. 

The  Joseph  and  Feiss  Company  of  Cleveland,  clothing 
manufacturers,  makes  this  statement: 

We  have  been  able  to  secure  telling  results  in  better 
co-operation  of  our  workers,  more  intelligent  handling  of 
work,  and  clearer  understanding  of  factory  problems,  such 
as  steadiness  of  attendance.  Altogether  we  cannot  speak 
too  enthusiastically  of  the  actual  value  in  dollars  and  cents 
of  English  classes  in  factories. 

The  following  significant  statement  by  Harold  McCormick, 
President  of  the  International  Harvester  Company,  was  pub- 
lished in  the  National  Efficiency  Quarterly,  November,  1918. 

A  working  knowledge  of  English  is  as  essential  to  the 
employee's  service  as  to  his  citizenship.  Without  it  he 
cannot  be  taught  to  protect  himself  adequately  against  ex- 
ploitation of  his  ignorance  on  the  outside.  Lacking  that 
knowledge  he  cannot  fully  grasp  either  the  industrial  or  the 
social  opportunities  of  his  adopted  country  and  must  be 
denied  much  of  the  opportunity  it  offers  for  self-develop- 
ment. The  teaching  of  English  to  alien-born  employees  is, 
therefore,  a  primary  and  fundamental  duty  resting  upon  all 
American  employers — a  duty  whose  competent  discharge  is 
bound  to  bring  full  compensation  to  all  the  parties  and 
elements  in  interest, 


CHAPTER  XI 

FURTHER  AIDS  FOR  AMERICANIZATION 

Study  of  American  Institutions 

A  program  of  Americanization  properly  begins  with  in- 
struction in  the  English  language,  but  that  is  not  enough. 
The  rights  and  duties  of  citizenship  should  be  taught.  More- 
over, everyone,  whether  naturalized  or  not,  has  certain  rights 
or  privileges  under  our  government  which  should  be  taught 
together  with  their  corresponding  obligations. 

At  the  Goodyear  Rubber  Company,  when  the  men  approach 
the  end  of  the  course  in  English,  they  are  prepared  for  natural- 
ization by  studying  the  forms  of  government — municipal,  state, 
and  national;  the  rights  and  duties  of  citizenship;  and  im- 
portant facts  in  the  history  of  the  United  States. 

Necessity  for  a  Well-Balanced  Educational  Plan 

An  elementary  technical  and  cultural  education  is  also 
important.  Although  the  function  of  the  factory  is  primarily 
production  and  not  education,  the  fact  that  education  increases 
production  has  been  incontestably  proved.  An  effort  to 
educate  foreign  employees,  however,  may  be  too  much  of  a 
task  for  the  management  to  assume  unaided.  In  this  connec- 
tion the  work  of  the  D.  E.  Sicher  Company  may  prove  sug- 
gestive. 

The  school  in  the  plant  is  under  the  joint  operation  of 
the  company  and  the  New  York  Board  of  Education.  The 
board  supplies  the  teachers  while  the  company  is  responsible 
for  equipment  and  incentives.  Pupils  receive  full-time  pay 
for  attendance  at  classes,  such  attendance  being  voluntary. 

148 


FURTHER  AIDS   FOR  AMERICANIZATION  H9 

Forty-five  minutes  are  devoted  each  day  to  practical  subjects 
intended  to  make  the  worker  more  efficient  and  industrious, 
to  give  her  an  intelligent,  impartial  understanding  of  American 
history  and  institutions,  and  to  help  make  her  an  efficient 
home-maker. 

The  course  of  study  for  the  illiterate  workers'  class,  out- 
lined below,  offers  excellent  suggestions  for  other  plants: 

I.  English 

1.  Reading 

2.  Spelling 

3.  Writing 

4.  Geography 

5.  Methods  of  communication 

(a)  Correspondence 

Business  letters 
Social  letters 
Post-office  regulations 

(b)  Telephoning 

(c)  Telegraphing 

II.  Hygiene 

1.  Personal  cleanliness 

2.  Physical  culture  (gymnastics) 

3.  Food — choice,  food  value,  cooking,  serving 

4.  Emergencies,  treatment  of  injured 

III.  Civics 

1.  Systems  of  government 

(a)  Merits  of  democratic  government 

(b)  Patriotism 

(c)  Citizenship 

2.  History 

(a)  Origin  of  legal  holidays 

(b)  Lives  of  statesmen 

IV.  Mathematics 

1.  Four  fundamental  operations  in  arithmetic 

2.  Tables  of  weights  and  measures 

3.  Money;  Sills  and  currency 

4.  Work  reports 


15°  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

5.  Personal  expense  accounts 

6.  Bank  accounts 

V.  Practical  application  of  language  v 

1.  Evolution  of  an  undergarment 

(a)  Growth  of  cotton  plant 

(b)  Manufacture 

Spinning  operation 
Bleaching 

(c)  Weaving 

(d)  Shipping 

2.  Alphabet  as  a  guide  to  common  things 

(a)  Advertisements 

(b)  Dictionary 

(c)  Directory 

In  addition  to  the  school  work  the  firm  encourages  social 
hours,  wholesome  entertainment,  dancing,  gymnasium  work, 
and  other  activities  which  makes  for  social  development.1 

Utilizing  All  Means  of  Approach 

From  one  point  of  view  it  may  be  said  that  every  subject 
discussed  in  this  book  is  a  vital  part  of  any  Americanization 
plan.  Obversely,  no  particular  phase  of  the  problem  can  be 
treated  alone. 

The  work  of  the  American  Rolling  Mill  Company  is  based 
on  the  right  principles.  All  the  activities  of  the  personal 
relations  department,  with  its  divisions — medical,  safety  and 
sanitation,  mutual  interest,  employment  and  training — each 
in  charge  of  a  specialist,  are  used  in  the  Americanizing  process. 


1  The  following  companies,  among  others,  are  also  carrying  on  Americanization 
work  in  their  plants:  Sidney  Blumenthal  Company,  Shelton,  Conn.;  Bird  and  Son, 
Inc.,  East  Walpole,  Mass.;  Yale  and  Towne  Manufacturing  Company,  Stamford, 
Conn.;  Western  Electric  Company,  Chicago,  111.;  Commonwealth  Steel  Company, 
Granite  City,  111.;  Walter  M.  Lowney  Co.,  Boston,  Mass.;  Illinois  Steel  Works, 
Joliet,  111. ;  Inland  Steel  Company,  East  Chicago,  111. ;  General  Chemical  Company, 
Bayonne,  N.  J. ;  General  Electric  Company,  Schenectady,  N.  Y. ;  Joseph  and  Feiss 
Company,  Cleveland,  Ohio;  United  States  Steel  Corporation,  Braddqck,  Pa.;  Green- 
field Tap  and  Die  Corporation,  Greenfield,  Mass.;  Ellsworth-Collieries  Company, 
Ellsworth,  Pa.;  Pressed  Steel  Car  Company,  South  Bethlehem,  Pa.;  Graton  and 
Knight  Manufacturing  Company,  Worcester,  Mass.;  Strathmore  Paper  Company, 
Woronoco,  Mass.;  Hartford  Rubber  Works  Company,  Hartford,  Conn.;  Swift  and 
Company,  Chicago,  111.;  and  American  Optical  Company,  Southbridge,  Mass. 


FURTHER  AIDS   FOR  AMERICANIZATION  151 

The  whole  program  comes  under  the  supervision  of  the  vice- 
president.  A  foreign  club,  supported  by  the  company,  offers 
a  place  for  foreign  societies  to  meet  and  provides  entertain- 
ments. The  secretary  of  the  club  is  a  capable  linguist  and 
devotes  his  whole  time  to  getting  the  foreign-born  workers 
adjusted  to  this  new  country. 

A  strong  influence  on  the  workers  is  the  housing  policy 
of  the  company  which  provides  several  hundred  neat  cottages 
that  are  sold  or  rented  to  foreign-born  workers  on  easy  pay- 
ments. A  large  percentage  of  the  men  have  become  home- 
owners. 

Factory  Activities 

Under  the  most  favorable  conditions,  Americanization  is 
difficult  work.  Energetic  employers  will  look  round  for  all 
sources  from  which  aid  may  be  derived.  Every  possible 
activity  within  the  factory  in  which  the  worker  can  take  part 
and  which  may  facilitate  the  work  should  be  tried.  For  when 
co-operation  of  managers  with  workmen  is  a  feature  of  the 
work  the  probability  of  success  is  greater  than  when  the  work 
is  carried  on  single-handed.  This  fact  cannot  receive  too 
great  emphasis. 

Noon-Hour  Meetings 

Noon-hour  talks,  for  instance,  are  a  valuable  means  of 
impressing  the  foreign-born  with  some  of  our  American  ways. 
The  plan  is  to  get  good  speakers  representing  the  various 
nationalities  to  dwell  on  the  importance  of  learning  about 
America  and  becoming  citizens.  In  some  plants,  as  in  the 
United  States  Metal  Refining  Company  of  East  Chicago, 
these  talks  are  accompanied  by  suitable  motion  pictures.  There 
are  many  good  films  which  are  available  at  small  expense.2 


2  The    Community    Motion    Picture    Bureau,    46    West    24th    Street,    New    York, 
makes  a  specialty  of  selected  films  for  educational  purposes. 


152 


LABOR   MAINTENANCE 


77.  I  FILL  the  tub  with  water. 

&  Ait  H    s  /     •*/       s 

~s   fttt  inc.  futt  twin  ut&ict*. 

(POLISH) 

Aj  fyl  di  tob  uyt  uoter 
Ja  NAPELNIAM  wanne.  woda.. 
(HUNGARIAN) 

Aj  nil  to  tab  wit  woater. 

En  MEGTOLTOM  a  fiirdSkadat  vizzel. 
(ITALIAN) 

,Ai  fil  dhz  tiib  uidh  uoftv 

RIEMPIO  la  bagneruola  d'acqua. 
(YIDDISH) 

78.  I  TAKE  off  my  clothes. 

ctome*. 


77 


(POLISH) 

Aj  tejk  of  maj  klouz 

Ja  ZDEJMUJ?.  moje  ubranie. 

(HUNGARIAN) 

Aj  16k  aff  maj  k!6tz 

£n  LEVETEM  a  ruhaimat 
(ITALIAN) 

Ai  t^ic  af  mai  clodhj. 

LEVO  via  i  miei  vestiti. 
(YIDDISH) 


79.  I  GET  into  the  bath  tub. 

(ft      *  •  *     */    /  */   *  / 
*jr  a&g,  IMW  tn&  ttairt  tuv. 

(POLISH) 

Aj  giet  yntu  di  bet  tob 
Ja  WCHODZE  do  wanny. 

(HUNGARIAN) 

Aj  get  intu  to  bettab. 
BEMEGYEK  a  furdokadba. 

(ITALIAN) 

Ai  ghet  intu  dhz  beth  tob. 
lo  mi  METTO  nella  bagneruola. 
(YIDDISH) 


»  »  n  v 

D  n  y  j 


78 


80.  I  WASH  myself  with  soap. 

.Jr  wai/i  iHuwy 

(POLISH) 

Aj  uosz  majself  uyt  soup 
Ja  MYJE  si§  mydlem. 
(HUNGARIAN) 

Aj  was  mSjszelf  wit  sz6p. 

En  MEGMOSOM  magam  szappannal. 

(ITALIAN) 

Ai  uoscz"  maisself  uidh  soap. 
,Io  mi   LAVO  con   saponc. 


&  y  j 

H  y  i 


70 


L"  i<  n  • 

C*K  VI 


80 


Figure  8. — Pictorial  English  Lessons  with  Phonetic  Translations. 


FURTHER  AIDS   FOR  AMERICANIZATION  153 

One  such  set  of  films  is  called  the  "Development  of  our 
Nation"  and  covers  such  topics  as  the  Discovering  of  America, 
the  Settlement  of  the  Colonies,  Lincoln,  Our  International 
Mind,  the  Conservation  of  Home — and  of  Health,  and  The 
Service  of  the  Group;  this  latter  illustrating  the  growth  of 
the  community  idea  and  the  new  spirit  of  getting  together 
for  work  and  play  for  the  welfare  of  all. 

Plant  Newspapers 

The  employees'  newspaper  or  plant  magazine  (see  Chapter 
XX)  is  a  valuable  asset  in  this  work.  Where  there  is  a 
large  number  of  non-English-speaking  workers  in  a  plant, 
it  has  been  found  useful  to  devote  a  few  columns  of  the  paper 
to  Americanization  work,  beginning  with  talks  in  the  language 
of  the  workers,  accompanied  by  the  English  translation  in 
parallel  columns.  Later  on  everything  is  printed  in  English. 
Another  method  is  to  print  pictorial  lessons  in  English  giving 
phonetic  translations  in  several  languages.  An  illustration 
(Figure  8)  is  here  given,  of  a  lesson  which  appeared  in  "The 
Day's  Work"  published  for  foreign-born  students. 

Stories  published  in  the  plant  paper  of  successful  men 
who  emigrated  to  this  country  and  made  their  way  to  the 
front  ranks  of  Americans  add  to  the  effectiveness  of  Ameri- 
canization work.  Many  learn  better  by  force  of  example  than 
by  didactic  methods. 

Pay  Envelopes 

A  very  effective  way  in  which  to  reach  foreign-born 
workers  is  through  the  pay  envelope.  A  message  to  the  worker 
in  this  way  is  sure  to  get  his  attention.  Some  firms,  like  the 
Pennsylvania  Coal  and  Coke  Company,  Cresson,  Pennsylvania, 
the  W.  H.  McElwain  Company,  the  American  Chain  Com- 
pany, H.  C.  Frick  Coke  Company,  the  Scovill  Manufacturing 
Company,  Waterbury,  Connecticut,  and  the  DuPont  Fabrikoid 


LABOR   MAINTENANCE 


FURTHER  AIDS   FOR   AMERICANIZATION 


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15^  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

Company,  have  found  a  series  of  civic  lesson  leaflets  used  in 
this  way  productive  of  good  results.  These  leaflets,  illustra- 
tions of  which  are  here  given,  may  be  obtained  from  the 
National  Americanization  Committee,  New  York  City,  (see 
Figure  9)  and  are  available  in  several  languages.  A  plan 
adopted  by  the  General  Fireproofing  Company,  Youngstown, 
Ohio,  is  that  of  inserting  in  the  pay  envelope  a  special  folder 
urging  upon  the  men  the  advantages  of  learning  English.  This 
company  has  printed  a  booklet  called  "A  Permanent  Job"  and 
has  had  it  translated  into  foreign  languages  so  that  company 
policies  and  opportunities  are  made  clear  to  every  worker. 

Plant  Census 

The  plant  census  is  of  great  assistance  to  employers  who 
want    to    start    Americanization    work    right,    especially    in 


Name 

Country  of  Birth           _ 

How  long  in  U.  S. 

Family  here                    English:  Speaks 

"Reads             Writes 

Knowledge  of  what  languages 

Naturalised                              Tst  papers  (date') 

2d  papers  (date") 

Intends  t<~>  remain  in  TTT  f»r 

.Desires  citizenship 

Desires  instruction  in  "English 

Schnr>ls  attended 

Dat^  r»f  this  information 

Figure  10.     Americanization  Census  Card 

The  use  of  this  card  facilitates  the    work  of  determining  the  number  and  nationality  of 

foreign-born  workers  in  the  plant,  the  extent  of  their  education,  and  how  far  they  have 

gone  in  becoming  naturalized  citizens. 

determining  the  number  and  nationality  of  foreign-born,  the 
extent  of  their  education,  and  how  far  they  have  gone  in 


FURTHER  AIDS   FOR  AMERICANIZATION  157 

becoming  naturalized  citizens.     In  making  such  a  census  an 
Americanization  card  (see  Figure  10)  will  be  helpful. 

These  cards  should  be  summarized  on  a  blank  similar  to 
that  reproduced  here  (see  Figure  n).  It  would  be  well  to 
make  such  a  census  each  year. 

The  Brown  and  Sharpe  Company's  Work 

A  noteworthy  effort  in  Americanization  is  the  work  of 
the  Brown  and  Sharpe  Manufacturing  Company  at  Provi- 
dence. The,  first  step  was  a  naturalization  census  of  employees 
in  conjunction  with  a  campaign  to  impress  the  men  with  the 
importance  of  citizenship.  Following  the  census,  a  series  of 
announcements  and  follow-up-letters  were  sent  to  employees, 
noon-hour  talks  were  given  to  arouse  the  interest  of  workmen, 
and  the  foremen  met  in  conference,  with  the  president  of  the 
company  as  chairman,  to  discuss  methods  of  arousing  interest. 
The  foremen  were  held  responsible  for  the  interest  of  those 
coming  under  their  supervision.  A  special  leaflet,  "Questions 
and  Answers  for  Coming  Citizens,"  formed  part  of  the  cam- 
paign. Company  time  is  allowed  for  filling  out  applications 
for  naturalization. 

Out  of  1,312  non-citizens,  1,106  applied  for  their  papers 
and  those  who  did  not  apply  were  either  too  young  or  too 
old  or  intended  returning  soon  to  the  country  of  their  birth. 

Naturalization 

There  is  one  danger  in  connection  with  naturalizing  the 
worker,  however,  that  should  be  guarded  against.  Some  firms 
now  require  for  employment  that  an  applicant  be  naturalized, 
and  that  persons  already  employed  take  out  their  second  papers. 
One  such  firm  boasts  of  its  "100  per  cent  Americanization" 
as  meaning  complete  citizenship  of  its  workers.  Such  a  prac- 
tice indicates  a  confused  idea  on  the  part  of  the  firm  of  what 
Americanization  means.  Naturalization  does  not  by  itself 


158 


LABOR   MAINTENANCE 


S96BIU90J9CJ 


qsiugdg 


ueissny 


SU90U90IV 


. 
FURTHER  AIDS   FOR  AMERICANIZATION  159 

produce  Americans.  It  gives  political  rights  but  it  does  not 
insure  civic  responsibility.  Compulsory  naturalization,  like 
compulsory  attendance  at  classes,  will  not  get  very  far  in 
promoting  good-will  or  labor  stability.  It  ignores  the  funda- 
mental purpose  of  Americanization  work  as  previously  dis- 
cussed. 

It  is  most  important  that  naturalization  should  be  encour- 
aged and  assisted.  We  want  the  foreign-born  to  become  a 
citizen  because,  as  Secretary  Lane  says : 

We  want  the  people  who  live  here  to  feel  a  responsibility 
for  the  conditions  that  exist  here,  and  that  their  complaint 
is  against  themselves,  not  against  another  class  in  the  com- 
munity. Because  if  America  is  not  good  enough  to  hold 
the  entire  loyalty  and  affection  of  anyone  he  should  make  his 
living  in  the  country  which  has  his  affection  and  loyalty. 

But  we  want  only  citizens  who  understand  their  obliga- 
tions. If  our  new  citizens  do  not  appreciate  their  duties,  the 
results  may  be  disastrous,  for  these  new  voters  will  become 
the  easy  prey  of  designing  politicians,  and  others  who  seek 
to  impose  impossible  schemes  upon  the  country.  'The  whole- 
sale naturalization  of  those  who  do  not  fully  understand  our 
ideals  is  likely  to  make  the  ballot  a  tool  of  destruction  rather 
than  an  instrument  for  the  common  good.  Americanization 
cannot  be  brought  about  through  coercion  or  economic  pres- 
sure. Democracy  does  not  grow  in  that  way. 

Delaware  Study  of  the  Naturalization  Problem 

A  better  way  of  approaching  the  problem  was  worked  out 
recently  by  the  state  of  Delaware  through  its  Council  of 
Defense.  The  council  discovered  that  in  the  years  1910  to 
1918,  only  967  foreign-born  persons  were  naturalized  in  the 
state  and  300  of  these  were  from  English-speaking  countries ; 
and  that  8.1  per  cent  of  the  whole  population  of  the  state 
was  illiterate. 


160  LABOR    MAINTENANCE 

A  census  of  aliens  showed  that  in  one  industry  employing 
227  foreign-born  workers,  216  had  not  been  naturalized  and 
193  had  never  taken  out  their  first  papers.  Most  of  these 
had  been  in  the  country  at  least  ten  years.  In  another  industry 
employing  1,181  foreign-born,  only  256  were  naturalized. 
Of  the  total  employed  213  could  not  read  or  write  their  own 
language  and  513  were  unable  to  speak  English.  Over  i  per 
cent  of  the  whole  population  of  the  state  is  represented  by 
the  families  of  the  foreign-born  workers  in  this  one  plant. 

Co-operating  with  the  Community 

The  Delaware  Council  of  Defense  came  to  the  conclusion 
that  Americanization  work  in  factories  is  apt  to  be  futile 
if  not  closely  linked  up  with  the  community  as  the  final  benefi- 
ciary of  such  effort.  As  the  report  states,  "All  Americaniza- 
tion work,  whether  official  or  unofficial,  must  be  based  upon 
the  definitely  ascertained  problem  in  the  locality — the  number 
there,  their  degree  of  education,  their  particular  need,  their 
place  of  residence,  and  of  work."  Unless  workers  have  the 
living,  working,  housing,  and  schooling  conditions  which  will 
make  them  content  to  stay  in  an  industrial  community  with 
their  wives  and  children,  industry  will  suffer  and  so  will  the 
American  nation.  Social  unrest  is  born  of  indifference  to 
social  needs.  Employers  must  take  cognizance  of  conditions 
which  promote  the  "drifter"  and  the  casual  and  make  him  a 
danger  to  society.  They  must  relate  their  business  to  the 
community  welfare  so  that  the  community  may  offer  them  the 
best  possible  kind  of  worker,  the  worker  who  becomes  an 
asset  rather  than  a  liability. 

The  employers  of  a  community  should  whenever  possible 
get  together  with  representatives  of  the  working  forces  and 
of  the  community  as  a  whole,  to  work  out  plans  and  methods 
of  meeting  the  problems  of  the  alien  in  industry.  Much 
effort,  time,  and  money  will  be  saved  by  such  co-operation, 


FURTHER  AIDS   FOR  AMERICANIZATION  l6l 

and  better  results  will  come  than  if  each  agency  operated 
alone. 

The  council  also  believes  that: 

A  state  policy  towards  the  foreign-born  is  a  desirable 
and  perhaps  essential  element  in  an  Americanization  scheme, 
and  that  it  is  the  duty  of  the  employer  to  study  his  labor 
turnover  so  carefully  that  he  will  be  able  to  determine 
wherein  his  responsibility  lies  for  the  wastage  of  labor  and 
men.  Legislation  regarding  immigrants  should  be  based  upon 
facts  brought  out  by  careful  studies  made  by  employers  in 
their  plants. 

Assistance  from  Local  Governments 

A  large  and  growing  number  of  cities  and  states  are  co- 
operating with  industry  and  the  federal  government  in  making 
Americanization  measures  effective.  To  mention  a  few  notable 
instances,  the  city  of  Chicago  offers  three  types  of  American- 
ization work: 

1.  The  public  evening  schools  of  which  there  are  33 

centers. 

2.  Factory  classes.     (16  factories  are  co-operating  with 

the  public  schools  in  teaching  English.) 

3.  Day  classes  for  adult  foreign-born  women  at  school 

buildings. 

Cleveland  has  adopted  the  principle  of  sending  teachers 
to  places  where  foreign-born  persons  work.  Akron  has  an 
Americanization  committee  of  one  hundred  representing  prac- 
tically every  industrial  interest  and  racial  group  in  the  city. 

Excellent  work  in  Americanization  has  been  done  by  the 
Solvay  Process  Company,  Syracuse,  New  York,  where  the 
classes  are  conducted  in  a  building  near  the  factory  in  co- 
operation with  the  community.  Workers  who  attend  these 
classes  receive  their  regular  wages  for  the  time.  Courses 


1 62  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

of  study  are  shaped  with  reference  to  the  special  needs  of  the 
community. 

The  Public  Library 

The 'public  library  is  an  agency  of  great  value  in  helping 
foreign-born.  Libraries  can  help  materially  by  setting  aside 
certain  books  about  this  country,  its  ideals,  literature,  lives 
of  great  Americans,  and  other  phases  in  American  life.  It 
would  be  well  for  those  who  conduct  classes  for  workers  to 
take  their  pupils  through  the  local  library,  explain  how  books 
may  be  drawn,  and  point  out  the  different  kinds  of  books 
which  are  available.  Many  libraries  arrange  exhibits  of  in- 
terest and  value  to  the  worker.  An  effective  method  of 
developing  the  interest  of  workmen  in  drawing  books  from 
the  library  is  to  arrange  therein  special  exhibits  of  handicrafts 
and  arts  of  the  various  nations.  Such  exhibits  have  the 
additional  effect  of  increasing  the  respect  of  the  American 
worker  towards  the  men  who  come  from  the  lands  represented 
by  the  exhibit. 

Assistance  from  Chambers  of  Commerce 

Great  impetus  to  the  Americanization  movement  is  being 
given  by  chambers  of  commerce,  and  by  other  trade  and 
civic  bodies  in  all  parts  of  the  country.  These  associations 
of  business  men  are  realizing  the  importance  of  protecting  the 
newcomer  in  our  land  from  the  influences  which  are  at  work 
to  exploit  his  ignorance  of  our  language  and  customs.  Com- 
mittees working  on  a  practical  basis,  are  getting  results  which 
reflect  themselves  in  marked  ways  upon  their  communities. 
The  Detroit  Board  of  Commerce,  for  example,  arranged  an 
"America  First"  pageant  on  Washington's  Birthday  in  1917. 
There  were  200  performers  who  pictured  what  the  foreigners 
had  contributed  to  art  and  recreation  in  America  and  what 
free  America  offered  to  all.  All  of  the  recreation  centers 


FURTHER  AIDS   FOR  AMERICANIZATION  163 

were  asked  to  send  their  representatives,  native  and  foreign, 
to  this  pageant  to  learn  of  the  forces  which  bring  immigrants 
to  America's  shores.  Liberty,  Education,  the  Public  Library, 
Industry  and  Recreation,  and  Opportunity  were  personified 
and  as  the  representatives  of  the  various  nations  came  upon 
the  scene,  the  leader  of  each  group  exchanged  the  foreign  flag 
for  that  of  the  United  States. 

Syracuse,  New  York,  through  its  Chamber  of  Commerce 
Committee,  adopted  a  very  comprehensive  plan  which  included 
a  city-wide  campaign  with  the  co-operation  of  employers  to 
increase  the  attendance  at  public  night  schools,  the  establish- 
ment of  information  and  complaint  bureaus  for  immigrants 
in  each  night  school,  the  preparation  of  a  guide  for  immigrants 
to  be  distributed  free  to  alien  workers  and  direct  aid  in  making 
and  filing  papers  for  naturalization. 

The  Chamber  of  Commerce  of  Cleveland  has  been  very 
active  in  promoting  the  Americanization  program,  a  feature 
of  which  is  an  Americanization  Institute  for  teachers  of  im- 
migrant classes.  The  enrolment  of  this  Institute  numbers  over 

450. 

The  Chamber  of  Commerce  of  the  United  States  has  done 
good  work  in  assisting  local  trade  organizations  in  planning 
Americanization  activities. 

Massachusetts  Department  of  University  Extension  Bulletin 

The  whole  question  of  how  industries  may  co-operate  with 
those  in  charge  of  public  education  in  drawing  out  the  best 
in  the  immigrant,  and  in  making  him  an  active  part  of  the 
citizenship  of  this  country  is  treated  in  a  special  bulletin  of 
the  Department  of  University  Extension  of  Massachusetts 
which  urges  the  following  points : 

i.  Establish  active  co-operation  with  local  school  boards  to  expand 
the    educational    system    by    establishing    evening    schools,    day 


J4  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

classes,  or  factory  classes  for  immigrant  employees  wherever 
necessary  and  practicable. 

2.  Assist  the  local  school  boards  to  obtain  sufficient  funds  from  the 

public  appropriations  ior  conducting  this  work  wherever  the 
present  sum  available  is  inadequate. 

3.  Appoint   an   official,   superintendent,   or   foreman,   to   be   charged 

with  the  duty  of  urging  immigrant  employees  to  attend  school, 
learn  English,  and  get  instruction  in  civics.  Such  official  can 
check  up  attendance  and  act  as  a  clearing-house  of  information 
for  employees  and  for  teachers  and  principals. 

4.  Register  and  list  for  the  use  of  school  officials  and  teachers  all 

employees  who  cannot  read  or  write  English.  As  new  employees 
in  need  of  English  instruction  are  hired,  their  names  should  be 
added  to  this  list. 

5.  Advertise  the  school  facilities: 

(a)  By  notices  printed  in  the  foreign  languages  inserted  in 

the  pay  envelopes. 

(b)  By  notices  on  the  bulletin  boards. 

(c)  By  personal  solicitation  on  the  part  of  foremen  or  fellow- 

workmen. 

(d)  By  "plant  meetings"  at  which  school  officials  and  others 

talk  to  the  employees  on  the  advantages  of  learning  to 
speak,  read,  and  write  English. 

6.  Adopt  one  of  the  following  policies: 

(a)  Give  bonus  for  regular  attendance  upon  English  classes. 

(b)  Increase  wages  of   immigrant  employees  making  them- 

selves more  efficient  by  learning  English. 

(c)  Give  preference  in  making  promotions  to  those  increasing 

their  efficiency  by  learning  English. 

(d)  Allow  time  off  on  the  days  the  school  is  in  session. 

7.  Co-operate   with   all   agencies   in   Massachusetts   and   local   com- 

munity in  the  effort  to  make  English  the  language  of  Massa- 
chusetts. 

8.  Preach  the  doctrine  that  each  individual  should  be  willing  to  learn 

English  for  the  privileges  of  liberty  he  enjoys  in  this  country, 
and  the  opportunities  he  receives  for  himself,  his  children,  and 
his  fellow  countrymen. 


CHAPTER  XII 

THE  WORKER'S  HEALTH 

The  Conservation  of  Human  Energy 

When  modern  industrial  management  began  to  concern 
itself  actively  with  questions  of  the  worker's  health  and 
physical  fitness,  it  did  not  do  so  for  sentimental,  but  for  truly 
scientific  reasons.  What  really  underlies  this  interest  in  work- 
ing conditions  is  a  determination  to  conserve  man-power  and 
put  an  end  to  the  waste  of  human  energy.  Now  that  the  world 
war  has  consumed  so  many  millions  of  productive  men  in 
their  prime,  and  incapacitated  many  millions  more,  the  whole 
question  has  taken  on  a  new  importance.  In  England  at  the 
present  time  the  national  health  policy  with  regard  to  working 
and  living  conditions  of  the  industrial  population  is  receiving 
a  great  deal  of  attention.  Before  the  war  there  was  scarcely 
any  interest  in  the  subject.  There  is  another  requirement 
to  be  met:  shorter  hours  now  common  in  industry  necessitate 
greater  intensity  and  intelligence  of  effort.  This  can  be  accom- 
plished only  under  good  salutary  working  conditions. 

Benefits  Accruing  to  Industry 

To  a  management  that  views  its  problem  broadly,  men 
are  the  first  consideration.  The  introduction  of  present-day 
production  methods  and  tools  led  to  a  new  emphasis  on  the 
worker's  physical  surroundings  and  personal  condition,  for  the 
very  life  of  costly  machine  tools  and  equipment  depends,  as 
the  management  well  knows,  on  the  physical  and  mental  condi- 
tion of  the  men  who  use  them.  We  can  go  further  and 
maintain  that  the  mental  health,  the  attitude  of  the  worker 

165 


166  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

toward  his  work  and  his  associates,  is  founded  on  the  state 
of  the  worker's  physical  health.  These  mental  attitudes  find 
expression  in  the  daily  workshop  contact,  and  thousands  of 
unnoticed  but  decisive  troubles  arise  from  failure  to  take  them 
into  account.  No  organization  can  long  afford  the  explosions 
resulting  from  overstrained  nerves,  careless  personal  habits, 
and  the  wear  and  tear  of  incompatible  tempers. 

Spirit  and  ambition  vanish  when  the  worker's  health  is 
poor.  On  the  other  hand,  as  Mackenzie  King  has  pointed  out, 
industrial  peace  and  industrial  efficiency  are  oftentimes  the 
result  of  salutary  working  conditions.  Someone  has  shown 
that  bank  clearings  vary  in  different  parts  of  the  country  in 
proportion  to  death  rates.  It  is  very  clear  that  wages,  work 
capacity,  and  productivity  are  contingent  upon  the  worker's 
health. 

Many  up-to-date  managers  take  pride  in  the  attractiveness 
of  the  physical  environment  which  their  plants  afford,  and 
in  the  general  fit  appearance  of  their  working  forces,  and 
not  a  few  managers  find  a  priceless  reward  in  knowing  that 
work  conditions  are  an  aid  rather  than  a  hindrance  to  well- 
being.  When  employers  declare  that  they  are  engaged  in 
building  men  rather  than  turning  out  products,  they  mean  that 
industrial  activity  with  them  is  a  form  of  community  service. 
They  measure  their  prosperity  by  the  advance  which  their 
fellow-workers,  their  employees,  make  in  health,  contentment, 
skill,  and  citizenship. 

But  there  are  immediate  practical  results,  which  should 
never  be  overlooked.  Man  maintenance  pays,  for  it  is  the 
first  step  in  plant  maintenance.  In  a  race  between  a  large 
bank  account  and  a  solid  body  of  men  welded  together  for 
a  common  purpose,  the  latter  are  sure  to  win.  The  size  of 
the  business  is  not  as  important  in  the  long  run  as  the  man- 
building  policy  which  directs  it.  The  force  of  this  truth  has 
come  home  to  many  a  man  too  late. 


THE  WORKER'S  HEALTH 

New  Qualities  Required  of  Managers 

Within  recent  years  there  have  been  great  changes  in  the 
specifications  used  in  the  appointment  of  men  to  supervisory 
positions.  As  always,  their  technical  competence  has  been 
given  due  weight,  but  in  addition,  questions  such  as  these 
would  be  taken  into  account:  How  does  he  treat  men?  Is 
he  considerate  and  observant  of  others?  Does  he  upset  others 
by  show  of  temper?  Will  he  get  "on  the  nerves"  of  his  men? 
Many  a  labor  trouble  can  be  dated  from  the  time  a  foreman 
came  into  power  whose  methods  were  a  burden  to  the  flesh. 

The  fitness  of  a  manager  to  manage  is  tested  by  the  breadth 
of  his  grasp  and  definition  of  his  job.  If  he  be  a  first-rate 
technical  man  concerned  exclusively  with  his  own  specialty, 
it  may  be  well  to  give  him  charge  of  the  technical  work,  but 
it  would  be  a  mistake  to  place  a  body  of  men  under  him  unless 
he  can  grow  to  a  larger  conception  of  his  relation  and  the 
relation  of  his  own  specialty  to  those  who  are  to  take  his 
orders. 

A  great  thinker  has  said:  "Health  is  contagious."  Ob- 
viously the  man  in  charge  of  others  has  a  peculiar  responsi- 
bility for  reflecting  the  fitness,  self-control,  and  sustained  and 
disciplined  skill  he  expects  of  others. 

Loss  of  Time  from  111  Health,  Accidents,  etc. 

It  is  clear  to  all  persons  acquainted  with  industrial  condi- 
tions that  not  only  industry,  but  the  community,  and  the 
individual  worker  suffer  through  the  loss  of  the  worker's 
time  from  ill  health,  accidents,  etc.  While  this  loss  cannot 
be  computed  in  dollars  and  cents  for  any  number  of  establish- 
ments, the  total  is  very  large.  Industry  has  a  decreased 
production,  not  only  because  experienced  workers  may  be  laid 
off,  but  because  inexperienced  persons  may,  and  often  must, 
be  employed  in  their  stead  with  the  added  cost  of  training 
and  lessened  output.  The  community  suffers  because  some 


168  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

of  its  members  are  enforcedly  idle,  and  its  prosperity  to  that 
degree  is  affected.  With  this  in  mind  let  us  consider  briefly 
a  few  of  the  actual  facts. 

Dean  John  H.  Wigmore  of  the  Northwestern  University 
School  of  Law,  is  authority  for  the  statement  that  a  majority 
of  the  civil  cases  in  the  courts  of  law  today  arise  from  injury 
by  industrial  accidents.  It  is  difficult  to  appreciate  the  great 
cost  of  this  fact  to  the  state,  the  worker,  and  the  employer, 
and  the  loss  of  time  consumed  in  litigation  by  all  the  parties 
involved. 

Number  of  Industrial  Accidents 

The  state  of  Massachusetts  has  about  175,000  cases  of  in- 
dustrial accidents  reported  to  its  Industrial  Accident  Board 
each  year,  and  the  average  loss  of  time  per  person  is  upwards 
of  one  week.  One  hundred  and  seventy-five  thousand  weeks 
at  $20  per  week,  as  a  fair  estimate,  means  $3,500,000.  Yet 
this  but  poorly  indicates  the  total  loss  arising  from  the  situa- 
tion. 

The  basis  for  the  need  of  social  insurance  is  unemploy- 
ment, a  considerable  amount  of  which  is  caused  by  accident 
and  by  sickness  arising  from  conditions  of  ill  health  in  indus- 
try. The  following  table  from  "Social  Insurance,"  by  I.  M. 
Rubinow,  shows  the  situation,  practically  up  to  1910,  in  Euro- 
pean countries. 

The  imposing  fact  of  this  table  is  that  in  eleven  European 
countries  annually  some  2,000,000  industrial  accidents  occur, 
and  of  these  over  22,000  are  fatal. 

Effect  Upon  Labor 

The  individual  worker  suffers  most  of  all,  because  tem- 
porary idleness  deprives  him  of  daily  earnings  and  lessens 
his  efficiency  in  his  particular  work.  In  many  cases  accidents 
are  of  such  a  nature  as  to  make  it  necessary  for  the  worker 


THE   WORKER  S   HEALTH 


169 


to  learn  a  new  occupation,  with  the  possible  loss  of  several 
years'  time.  Accident  insurance  and  social  insurance  are 
striving  to  ameliorate  these  evils. 

ANNUAL  NUMBER  OF  INDUSTRIAL  ACCIDENTS  IN  THE  MAIN 
EUROPEAN  COUNTRIES 


Country 

Year 

ACCIDENTS 

Total  No. 

Fatal 

Austria, 

1909 
1908 
1911 
1909 
1910 
1910 
1910 
1909 
1906 
1909 
1906 

129,186 
159499 
3,869 
434,450 
672,961 

167,653 
227,768 

5,909 
212,167 
28,944 
15,041 

1,252 
5io 
207 
3,ioi 
8,857 
4,704 
759 
136 
i,834 

2IO 
249 

Belgium 

Denmark 

France 

Germany 

Great  Britain  

Italy  

Norway  

Russia  

Spain  

Sweden  

In  1910  the  federal  bureau  of  labor  conducted  an  investiga- 
tion of  the  causes  of  unemployment,  dealing  with  24,402  repre- 
sentative wage-earners'  families.  The  following  facts  show 
the  part  that  accident  and  sickness  play  in  unemployment, 
probably  at  much  the  same  rates  in  1919  as  in  1910. 

New  Conception  of  Health  Work 

A  point  to  be  specially  noticed  in  regard  to  these  statistics 
is  that  it  is  not  merely  accidents  which  count.  It  is  significant 
that  at  first  the  work  of  the  various  plant  health  departments 
consisted  almost  exclusively  of  taking  care  of  injuries  result- 
ing from  accidents.  Gradually,  however,  the  fact  came  to  be 
recognized  that  the  general  level  of  health  was  also  to  be 
watched  and  safeguarded  in  the  interest  of  good  production. 
The  results  of  newly  established  medical  departments  that 


LABOR   MAINTENANCE 


worked  along  these  lines  were  too  conspicuously  good  for  any 
doubt  to  be  entertained  as  to  the  value  of  such  activities. 
What  had  hitherto  been  guesswork  with  respect  to  the  human 
factors  in  sustained  production  gave  way  to  data  such  as  we 
have  summarized  in  this  chapter.  Records  of  attendance 
when  analyzed  afforded  a  new  insight  into  the  problems  of 
organization. 


PER  CENT  OF  HEADS  OF  12,154  FAMILIES  OF  WORKINGMEN 
IDLE  IN  1910,  BY  PRINCIPAL  CAUSES 


Causes  of  Idleness 

Per  Cent  Idle 
Based  on  Heads 
of  Families 

Average 
Weeks 
Idle 

Accident  

I  66 

8.98 

2.25 

Q.  12 

Establishment  closed  

4.  ^O 

8.58 

22.  54 

7.71 

Sickness  and  establishment  closed 

QC 

II    01 

Sickness  and  slack  work 

I   67 

IO   11 

Sickness  and  vacation 

I    II 

5    12 

Sickness  and  unable  to  get  work. 

1   7O 

14.  15 

Slack  work  

1^    O5 

0.70 

Strike  .                 

2    O7 

0.65 

Unable  to  get  work  

77.  2Q 

10.90 

Vacation  

6.45 

2.61 

This  new  conception  of  the  value  of  the  health  of  the 
worker  led  to  the  study  of  the  working  and  living  conditions 
of  the  industrial  population,  for  in  order  to  maintain  a  high 
standard  of  health  among  the  workers,  right  sanitary  and 
hygienic  arrangements  must  be  made  (see  Appendix  C).  It 
is  this  preventive,  as  distinguished  from  remedial  treatment 
of  industrial  diseases  that  is  demanding  the  attention  of  in- 
dustry at  the  present  time.  This  is  especially  true  when 
working  conditions  may  lead  to  industrial  or  occupational 
diseases. 


THE   WORKER  S   HEALTH  I?I 

There  are  thus  two  principal  phases  of  the  health  work 
in  a  progressive  plant: 

1.  Giving  the  worker  medical  service  and  supervision. 

2.  Improving  and  maintaining  healthful  working  condi- 

tions. 

Industrial  Medicine — The  First  Phase 

The  first  phase,  commonly  known  as  industrial  medicine, 
embraces  a  wide  range  of  medical  activities  including  diag- 
nostics, internal  medicine,  emergency  and  orthopedic  surgery, 
Roentgenology,  laboratory  technic  and  interpretation,  ortho- 
dontia,  dental  prophylaxis,  the  well-known  specialties  of  the 
eye,  ear,  nose,  and  throat,  and  the  other  branches  of  practice. 

Industrial  Hygiene — The  Second  Phase 

With  the  increased  emphasis  on  the  physical  condition 
of  the  worker  has  come  an  enlightened  attitude  on  the  ques- 
tion of  the  worker's  physical  surroundings,  and  so  the  second 
phase  of  health  work  is  becoming  increasingly  important.  In 
the  main,  industrial  hygiene  has  to  do  with  the  lighting  and 
ventilation  of  the  shop,  cleanliness,  and  right  sanitary  provi- 
sions— toilets,  lockers,  drinking  fountains,  and  other  similar 
arrangements.  Not  only  are  these  conditions  important  in 
the  shop,  but  equally  so  in  the  home  of  the  worker  and 
naturally  in  the  community. 

The  Industrial  Physician — A  New  Profession 

So  important  is  the  work  of  guarding  the  health  of  em- 
ployees that  a  practically  new  profession  of  industrial  physi- 
cian has  arisen  and  is  receiving  the  attention  of  the  best 
minds  in  the  practice  of  medicine  as  well  as  the  earnest  con- 
sideration of  the  leaders  of  industry. 

The  industrial  physician  has  a  perfectly  definite  function 


172  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

to  perform.  His  work  allies  itself  with  the  other  work  of 
the  employer  in  making  greater  output  possible.  He  is  con- 
cerned with  the  work  of  placement  of  employees,  safety  ac- 
tivity and  the  elimination  of  hazards  caused  by  physical 
deformities,  fatigue,  and  the  nature  of  the  tasks  engaged  in 
by  the  worker.  His  duties  include  the  protection  of  employees 
from  communicable  disease  and  the  prevention  and  treatment 
of  minor  ills  which  cause  loss  of  time  and  production.  Where 
the  concern  is  large,  surgical  treatment  of  injuries  is  one  of 
the  responsibilities  placed  upon  him.  Or  there  may  be  prob- 
lems of  community  sanitation  which  require  his  service.  In 
short,  everything  which  affects  or  may  affect  the  health  of 
the  worker  and  his  steady  attendance  on  his  job  comes  within 
the  field  of  the  industrial  physician. 

There  are  several  types  of  industrial  physicians.  Owing 
to  the  lack  of  well-defined  standards  we  have  all  sorts  of 
trained  and  untrained  nurses  placed  in  positions  of  respon- 
sibility in  the  handling  of  medical  cases  in  industrial  plants. 
We  find  physicians  who  have  no  personality,  no  educational 
or  scientific  background,  no  initiative,  men  who  are  classed  as 
"finger  wrappers"  by  the  medical  profession.  On  the  other 
hand  we  find  men  of  capacity  and  ability  who  are  specially 
fitted  for  the  new  profession  and  who  are  devoting  their 
lives  to  it. 

Many  special  medical  departments  which  deal  with  all  the 
health  problems  of  the  worker  might  be  mentioned.  At  the 
Eastman  Kodak  Company,  for  example,  the  medical  depart- 
ment takes  immediate  and  subsequent  care  of  all  injuries  to 
employees  incurred  while  at  work;  gives  immediate  attention 
to  cases  of  illness  occurring  at  the  various  plants,  and  if  it 
is  found  necessary  to  send  the  individual  home  he  is  referred 
to  his  own  physician.  All  applicants  for  employment  are 
given  physical  examinations.  All  employees  on  the  pay-roll 
are  given  periodic  examinations.  A  follow-up  system  of  re- 


THE  WORKER'S  HEALTH  173 

examinations  of  defectives  is  in  operation  to  make  sure  that 
medical  or  hygienic  advice  given  is  carried  out.  Where  ab- 
sence from  work  is  due  to  illness  a  representative  of  the 
medical  department  makes  personal  visits  to  the  home  of  the 
worker. 

Legislation  versus  Voluntary  Action 

If  business  judgment  does  not  bring  about  the  needed 
physical  provisions,  legislation  will  probably  do  so.  Hundreds 
of  laws  bearing  on  the  subject  of  health  and  human  conserva- 
tion have  been  passed  within  the  past  decade.  Strong  efforts 
are  now  being  made  toward  securing  standard  enactments  that 
will  bring  under  state  control1"  the  conditions  that  surround 
workers  in  mills,  mines,  lumber  camps,  shops,  and  other  places. 
Progressive  organizations,  however,  will  not  wait  for  legisla- 
tive standards  to  tell  them  what  to  do.  As  was  true  in  the 
case  of  workmen's  compensation  laws,  they  will  keep  far  ahead 
of  legal  requirements. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

ORGANIZING  A  PLANT  HEALTH  DEPARTMENT 

Work  of  the  Health  Department 

The  increased  attention  being  given  by  employers  to  im- 
proving industrial  relations  is  rinding  expression  in  the  exten- 
sion of  medical  work  with  employees  through  organized 
departments  for  the  purpose.  The  extent  of  the  work  in 
different  plants  varies  largely  according  to  their  nature  and 
size.  Medical  service  ranges  from  the  small  first-aid  room 
or  industrial  clinic  to  the  well-equipped  modern  hospital  with 
a  full  staff  and  asssistants  in  the  case  of  large  enterprises 
which  are  responsible  for  the  existence  of  the  community 
surrounding  them. 

The  field  of  industrial  medicine  is  widening  to  include 
many  activities  which  heretofore  were  foreign  to  industrial 
organization.  The  work  of  a  modern  health  department  in- 
cludes: 

1.  Service  for  employees  who  need  attention  during  the 

day. 

2.  Regular  inspection  of  plant  conditions  to  discover 

sources  of  disease  or  conditions  dangerous  to  the 
physical  welfare  of  workers. 

3.  Physical  examinations  of  new  and  old  employees. 

4.  Co-operation  in  the  matter  of  restoring  the  productive 

capacity  of  the  injured  and  providing  for  com- 
pensation for  such  injuries. 

5.  Co-operation  with  the  foremen  on  the  health  prob- 

lems of  workers. 

174 


ORGANIZING   PLANT   HEALTH   DEPARTMENT          175 

6.  Co-operation  with  the  health  authorities  of  the  city, 

state,  and  nation. 

7.  Scientific   studies   of    fatigue,   occupational   disease, 

and  methods  of  treatment  of  injuries  as  well  as 
their  prevention. 

8.  Health  education  of  employees. 

9.  Home  treatment  of  employees  who  are  ill  or  injured. 
10.  Follow-up  of  employees  who  return  to  the  plant  after 

serious  illness  or  physical  disability. 

Not  only  does  the  health  department  function  as  outlined 
above  but  it  has  a  definite  responsibility  in  connection  with 
the  employment  department  and  the  service  department  in 
seeing  that  workers  are  properly  placed  and  the  turnover  of 
labor  reduced. 

Relation  to  the  Plant 

The  first  question  that  comes  up  in  a  discussion  of  the 
organization  of  the  health  department  is  that  concerning  its 
relation  to  the  rest  of  the  organization  of  the  plant.  To 
whom  should  the  head  of  this  department  report  ?  The  answer 
to  this  can  hardly  be  derived  from  a  study  of  the  experience 
of  industrial  concerns  owing  to  the  haphazard  manner  in 
which  health  departments  have  come  into  being.  Dr.  C.  D. 
Selby  of  the  United  States  Health  Service  recently  made  a 
study1  of  the  health  activities  of  170  industrial  concerns  and 
found  that: 

1.  In  71  of  the  plants  visited — 42  per  cent — the  health 
department  functioned  under  an  official  supervising  produc- 
tion (the  superintendent  or  works  manager,  or  the  head  of 
production). 

2.  In  36  plants — 21  per  cent — the  work  was  directly  under 


1  "Studies    of   the    Medical    and    Surgical    Care   of   Industrial   Workers."      United 
States  Public   Health   Service,   Washington,    D.    C. 


176  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

an  official  dealing  with  compensation  matters,  such  as  the 
legal  department,  compensation  or  claim  department,  treasurer, 
secretary-treasurer,  auditor,  or  clerk. 

3.  In  31  plants — 18  per  cent — an  official  representing  the 
administration  of  the  plant  had  supervision  of  the  work:  the 
president,  the  general  manager  or  the  director  of  plant  ad- 
ministration. 

4.  In  28  firms — 15  per  cent — some  official  having  juris- 
diction over  labor  supervised  the  work:  the  director  of  wel- 
fare, the  employment  manager,  the  head  of  the  service  depart- 
ment, the  head  of  the  relief  department,  the  industrial  service 
manager,  the  paymaster,  the  employment  and  welfare  man- 
ager, the  head  of  the  safety,  compensation,  and  hospital  depart- 
ment, the  head  of  the  relief  surgery  and  employment  depart- 
ment, or  the  head  of  industrial  relations. 

5.  In  one  of  the  four  plants  remaining,  the  work  was 
under  the  supervision  of  the  office  manager;  under  the  safety 
department  in  two  of  these  firms,  and  under  the  engineer 
in  the  other. 

It  is  a  significant  fact  that  71  of  the  firms  studied  had 
those  in  charge  of  health  work  under  the  supervision  of  men 
whose  main  job  was  production.  Where  a  plant  is  small  and 
a  functionalized  employment  and  service  department  is  hardly 
possible  because  of  the  overhead  expense,  there  is  good  reason 
why  health  activities  should  be  controlled  by  the  superin- 
tendent, but  where  large  numbers  are  employed  the  health 
department  should  properly  function  under  the  manager  of 
industrial  relations  or  the  employment  and  service  manager. 
Again,  to  have  health  work  under  the  supervision  of  the 
claim  department  is  to  destroy  its  possibilities  as  a  factor  in 
labor  maintenance.  It  is  hardly  possible  that  employees,  in 
such  a  case  and  under  such  necessarily  biased  conditions,  will 
have  the  confidence  in  the  management  required  to  make  the 
work  a  success. 


ORGANIZING   PLANT   HEALTH   DEPARTMENT          177 

The  Industrial  Clinic  or  Emergency  Hospital 

The  custom  in  most  plants  which  have  special  rooms  and 
equipment  for  handling  minor  injuries  and  ailments  is  to  call 
these  quarters  "the  dispensary."  While,  from  the  standpoint 
of  medical  terminology  this  term  is  correct,  it  is  objectionable 
to  the  worker  who  lives  in  a  large  city  and  to  whom  a  dis- 
pensary stands  for  a  charitable  enterprise.  There  is  the  same 
psychological  objection  to  the  term  ' 'hospital' '  or  to  the  term 
"clinic." 

Dr.  George  E.  Tucker,  one  of  the  pioneers  in  industrial 
medicine,  suggests  the  name  "medical  unit"  as  best  suited 
to  describe  the  quarters  where  medical  work  is  done  in  a 
plant.  This  term  may  be  applied  equally  to  what  is  now  called 
the  first-aid  room  or  to  the  most  extensive  hospital  building 
and  equipment.  So  in  a  large  plant  there  may  be  several 
medical  units  in  different  parts  of  the  establishment,  each 
having  its  identifying  number.  Each  unit  represents  a  unit 
of  service. 

The  term  "first-aid  room"  has  been  found  unsatisfactory 
in  cases  where  only  a  nurse  is  employed  to  treat  minor  injuries, 
but  where  the  room  has  equipment  beyond  the  ordinary 
first-aid  cabinet.  This  may  be  illustrated  by  the  story  of  a  Con- 
necticut plant  employing  about  3,000.  A  room  in  one  of  the 
buildings  was  set  aside  for  emergency  work  and  was  equipped 
with  a  cabinet  containing  medical  supplies  and  remedies  for 
simple  ailments,  a  bed,  two  tables,  some  chairs,  basins,  and 
other  utensils.  The  work  was  in  charge  of  a  young  man,  a 
graduate  nurse  who  was  employed  full  time  at  the  plant  by 
an  insurance  company.  This  nurse  was  very  well  liked  by 
the  men  in  the  plant  and  did  excellent  work.  The  nurse's 
quarters  were  known  as  the  "first-aid  room."  In  spite  of  the 
ability  and  personality  of  the  nurse  it  was  found  that  the 
men  did  not  have  the  fullest  confidence  in  the  institution  of 
the  first-aid  room.  The  men  felt  that  this  was  not  the  place 


I?  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

for  them  if  they  thought  they  had  some  real  trouble  and  so 
consulted  their  private  physicians  very  often  on  matters 
which  were  minor  and  could  just  as  well  be  taken  care  of  by 
the  company  nurse.  The  whole  trouble  was  lack  of  confidence 
based  on  the  idea  that  "first-aid"  meant  only  a  "kit"  and  not 
professional  treatment.  The  experiment  was  tried  of  changing 
the  name  of  the  room  to  "emergency  hospital"  without  making 
any  special  announcement  of  the  change.  The  nurse,  who 
had  been  in  the  habit  of  doing  his  work  in  his  shirt  sleeves, 
was  instructed  to  wear  his  white  coat  at  all  times.  In  a  few 
weeks  there  was  a  noticeable  change  in  the  attitude  of  the 
workers.  One  cannot  say  that  this  change  was  owing  entirely 
to  the  change  in  the  name  of  the  quarters  for  medical  aid, 
but  events  pointed  to  the  fact  that  the  name  of  the  place  had 
a  real  psychological  effect  upon  the  workers. 


Equipment  of  Emergency  Hospital 

The  equipment  of  the  modern  emergency  hospital  in  in- 
dustrial plants  varies  from  the  "first-aid  to  the  injured" 
cabinet  to  full  outfits  for  major  surgical  operations.  The  well- 
equipped  health  department  has  dressing-stands  of  enameled 
steel  or  with  plate-glass  tops,  and  sometimes  dressing- 
tables  on  wheels;  stationary  wash-bowls,  behind  which  solu- 
tions and  ointments  are  kept  on  shelves;  and  tiers  of  drawers 
nearby  in  which  are  stored  rolls  of  bandages,  gauze,  and 
cotton.  In  some  cases  there  are  special  swivel-seated  chairs 
and  stools  for  patients.  Foot  and  arm  rests  are  also  provided 
for  minor  operations  and  dressings.  In  some  industries,  in 
which  the  feet  of  workmen  become  dirty,  foot  tubs  are  in- 
cluded in  the  equipment  of  the  medical  unit.  These  and  other 
facilities  are  provided  for  the  antiseptic  treatment  of  all  sorts 
of  wounds  and  injuries.  There  are  supply  cabinets,  separate, 
or,  in  a  few  recent  establishments,  built  into  the  walls  of 


ORGANIZING   PLANT   HEALTH   DEPARTMENT          1 79 

a  room,  for  the  storage  of  surgical  and  medical  instruments, 
medicines,  and  supplies. 

The  small  clinic  may  give  first  aid  in  case  of  injury  and 
send  the  patient  to  a  local  hospital  for  operation  or  treatment 
if  the  case  is  at  all  serious.  This  method  is  followed  by  the 
Fore  River  Plant  of  the  Bethlehem  Shipbuilding  Corporation, 
at  Quincy,  Massachusetts,  although  the  plant  has  an  excellent 
clinic  and  a  full  staff  of  physicians  and  attendants.  The  more 
difficult  cases  of  injury  are  sent  to  the  Quincy  City  Hospital. 
It  seems  better,  perhaps,  that  such  patients  should  be  treated 
away  from  the  busy  shipyard.  There  are,  however,  operating 
tables,  nitrous  oxide  apparatus,  and  X-ray  machines  in  many 
modern  industrial  clinics.  Sortietimes  there  are  found  vibra- 
tors, baking  ovens,  violet-ray  machines,  and  therapeutic  lamps. 
The  Carnegie  Steel  Company  and  other  big  concerns  in  which 
the  hazards  of  employment  are  great  have  most  elaborate  and 
minutely  equipped  plant  hospitals. 

The  modern  industrial  plant  which  employs  hundreds  or 
even  thousands  of  people,  and  in  many  cases  determines  the 
general  welfare  of  its  community  finds  it  good  business  to 
seek  out  and  adopt  the  most  modern  methods  of  restoring 
injured  employees  to  normal  health  and  efficiency. 


Minimum  Requirements  of  the  Department 

In  this  connection  the  report  of  a  special  committee  on 
factories  made  to  the  Chicago  Tuberculosis  Institute  in  1913 
is  of  practical  importance.  Dr.  Harry  E.  Mock  of  Sears, 
Roebuck,  and  Company,  was  chairman  and  with  him  were 
associated  Dr.  A.  M.  Harvey  of  Crane  Company,  Dr.  James 
A.  Britton  of  the  International  Harvester  Company,  Dr.  W. 
H.  Lipman  of  Swift  and  Company,  and  Dr.  L.  Z.  Little  of. 
the  Western  Electric  Company.  This  committee  made  the 
following  recommendation  for  the  physician's  office  and  equip- 


l8o  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

merit  suitable  for  conducting  the  medical  examination  of 
employees. 

Location.  "The  ideal  arrangement  would  be  a  group  of 
offices,  well-lighted,  well-aired,  removed  from  all  noises  and 
housed  in  a  building  preferably  detached  from  the  plant, 
especially  accessible  from  the  departments  in  which  most  acci- 
dents occur." 

Whether  or  not  this  recommendation  can  be  carried  out 
entirely,  the  department  should  be  located  in  as  quiet  a  place 
as  possible;  noisy  machinery  overhead  or  in  adjoining  rooms 
is  likely  to  impair  the  value  of  the  physician's  work. 

Offices.  The  size  and  number  of  offices  will  depend  on 
the  number  of  employees  to  be  examined  daily.  But  the 
important  thing  to  remember  is  that  the  choice  of  the  physician 
to  have  charge  of  the  work  is  the  first  step  and  he  should  be 
consulted  as  to  his  needs.  The  report  declares  the  following 
rooms  as  necessary. 

Waiting-Room.  A  waiting-room  equipped  with  a  suffi- 
cient number  of  chairs  or  suitable  benches  for  seating  em- 
ployees who  have  to  wait  for  treatment.  If  possible  there 
should  be  separate  waiting-rooms  for  men  and  for  women. 

Filing-Room.  There  should  be  a  general  office  for  a 
stenographer  and  the  files  of  the  department.  It  is  absolutely 
essential  that  the  most  careful  and  accurate  records  be  kept. 
Such  records  are  of  vital  importance  not  only  for  study  of 
plant  health  conditions  but  in  connection  with  claims  for  com- 
pensation which  may  arise. 

Examining  Rooms.  The  examining  room  should  be  as 
quiet  as  possible,  and  well-lighted.  It  is  important  that  this 
room  should  be  completely  closed  off  from  the  other  rooms. 
The  room  should  contain  a  chair  for  the  doctor,  a  stool  for 
the  employee  (the  report  suggests  a  revolving  piano  stool  as 
ideal),  a  simple-padded  examining  table,  a  small  stand  for 


ORGANIZING   PLANT   HEALTH   DEPARTMENT          ll 

writing  or  on  which  the  doctor  may  lay  his  instruments.  Two 
hooks  in  the  wall  can  serve  as  clothes  hangers. 

It  is  also  suggested  that  if  the  number  of  employees  ex- 
amined daily  is  large,  there  should  be  two  or  more  rooms 
equipped  as  above.  The  best  arrangement  provides  a  dressing- 
room  in  connection  with  a  small  examining  room  so  that  the 
employee  may  come  into  the  doctor's  room  prepared  for  the 
examination.  For  the  examination  of  female  employees  the 
separate  dressing-room  and  examining  room  is  essential.  The 
point  is  also  made  that  in  all  cases  when  a  girl  is  examined 
the  nurse  should  be  present. 

As  the  history  of  each  case  may  be  taken  in  the  examining 
room,  the  committee  does  not"  consider  a  history  room  essen- 
tial. The  report  states,  however,  that  a  great  deal  of  the 
doctor's  time  is  saved  if  a  separate  room  for  this  purpose  is 
provided,  in  which  the  temperature,  pulse,  height,  and  weight 
of  the  employee  can  be  taken,  and  the  few  points  desired  in 
regard  to  age,  nationality,  and  past  history  obtained.  This 
work  can  be  done  by  a  nurse,  or  by  a  well-trained 
attendant. 

Laboratory.  A  laboratory  is  highly  essential,  for  no  ex- 
amination is  complete  without  certain  laboratory  tests.  The 
laboratory  should  be  equipped  for  careful  urinalysis,  with  a 
microscope,  blood-counting,  and  blood-pressure  apparatus. 

Private  Offices.  The  physician  in  charge  should  have  his 
own  private  office  where  employees  may  consult  him  without 
embarrassment.  In  the  absence  of  such  an  office,  the  doctor 
can  use  one  of  the  examining  rooms. 

Surgical  Room.  There  should  also  be  a  surgical  room 
where  immediate  attention  can  be  given  to  accident  cases 
and  where  subsequent  dressings  can  be  made.  Two  of  these 
rooms  are  necessary  in  plants  where  many  women  are  em- 
ployed. Good  light  and  ventilation  are  essential.  It  is  desir- 
able that  the  surgical  room  be  closed  off  from  the  rest  of  the 


182  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

office  as  the  sight  of  wounds  being  dressed  will  tend  to  prevent 
employees  from  coming  to  the  office. 

The  surgical  room,  as  well  as  all  others  in  the  department, 
should  be  kept  scrupulously  clean. 

It  should  be  painted  white  and  furnished  as  follows: 

1.  White  enameled  table  where  the  patient  can  lie  down 

if  necessary. 

2.  White  enameled  dressing-table. 

3.  White  enameled  stand  for  instrument  sterilizer. 

4.  Glass  jars  for  dressings. 

5.  Instrument  cabinet. 

6.  The  few  necessary  drugs. 

7.  White  enameled  chairs  or  stools. 

8.  White    enameled    stands    suitable    for    resting    the 

patient's  leg  or  arm  for  dressing  wounds  of  these 
extremities. 

9.  Hot  and  cold  running  water  (foot  control). 

10.  As  an  adjunct  to  this  equipment  there  should  be 
space  or  preferably  a  separate  room  for  hydro- 
thermal  and  baking  apparatus. 

Dr.  Mock  in  his  book,  "Industrial  Medicine"  (1919)  also 
recommends  a  sterilizing  room  where  all  dressings  used  on 
wounds  can  be  thoroughly  sterilized.  And  in  plants  where 
severe  accidents  are  likely  to  occur  an  X-ray  laboratory  is 
essential. 

Restrooms.  Restrooms,  one  for  women  and  one  for  men, 
are  important,  for  when  suddenly  taken  ill  an  employee  often 
wishes  to  lie  down  until  he  is  taken  to  a  hospital  or  is  able 
to  go  home.  Rest  will  frequently  enable  employees  to  over- 
come a  temporary  condition  and  return  to  work  after  an 
hour  or  so. 

Not  the  least  important  part  of  the  equipment  of  a  health 


ORGANIZING   PLANT   HEALTH   DEPARTMENT          183 

department  are  proper  toilet  facilities  in  the  doctor's  office. 
Shower  baths  should  also  be  included  in  the  equipment  when 
possible. 

Personnel  of  the  Department 

The  industrial  clinics  have  generally  about  the  same  kinds 
of  heads,  assistants,  and  attendants  as  the  small  private  or 
public  hospital.  First,  of  course,  comes  the  physician  in 
charge. 

Where  a  plant  is  small  it  is  generally  unnecessary  to  have 
a  physician  on  full  time  and  so  arrangement  is  made  for 
consulting  physicians  who  devote  part  of  the  day  or  the  week 
to  employees,  or  who  are  called  upon  in  case  of  emergency. 
This  arrangement  is  sufficient  when  there  is  a  well-equipped 
emergency  aid  room  in  charge  of  a  capable  nurse  who  takes 
care  of  minor  injuries.  But  when  the  arrangement  is  to 
send  minor  injury  cases  to  a  physician  outside  the  plant,  much 
unnecessary  lost  time  is  the  result,  and  there  is  considerable 
danger  of  infection  developing.  The  time  lost  in  going  to 
and  from  the  physician  for  redressings  is  forgotten  and  the 
doctor  is  apt  to  be  careless  in  fixing  the  period  of  disability. 
A  detached  medical  service  is  bad  in  principle  and  is  un- 
economic in  practice. 

Where  extensive  medical  work  is  done  in  a  plant  it  is 
wise  to  have  the  services  of  one  or  more  physicians  on  full 
time.  This  is  especially  true  of  firms  where  physical  examina- 
tions of  employees  are  conducted  or  where  the  force  of  workers 
is  quite  large.  Full  time  of  the  physician  is  the  practice  in 
most  of  the  industrial  plants  of  the  country  where  some  form 
of  medical  service  is  provided. 

Training  the  Industrial  Physician 

It  is  evident  that  the  industrial  physician  should  receive 
special  training  for  his  work.  In  response  to  this  need  medical 


184  LABOR  MAINTENANCE 

schools  of  several  great  universities  of  the  country  have  begun 
to  study  the  problem  and  to  establish  courses  of  training.  The 
Medical  School  of  Harvard  University  was  among  the  first 
to  take  this  step,  organizing  a  course  in  industrial  hygiene. 
Such  a  course  should  deal  with  industrial,  medical,  and  surgical 
problems,  sanitary  standards  of  plants,  occupational  diseases, 
fatigue,  general  safety  work,  methods  of  medical  supervision 
of  employees,  physical  examinations,  dental  hygiene,  and 
nursing  service.  It  should  deal  also  with  the  question  of 
personal  relations  in  industry,  employment  methods  in  their 
relation  to  health,  the  place  and  value  of  recreation,  food 
problems,  and  industrial  housing. 

The  College  of  Medicine  of  the  University  of  Cincinnati 
has  lately  established  a  course  in  industrial  medicine  and 
public  health  in  co-operation  with  the  local  chapter  of  the 
National  Safety  Council  and  Employment  Managers'  Associa- 
tion. The  outline  of  the  work  of  this  course  (Figure  12) 
is  here  presented. 

The  compensation  of  industrial  physicians  varies  greatly. 
Whole-time  physicians  receive  from  $1,200  to  $8,000  a  year. 
In  one  plant  the  part-time  physician  receives  $1,800  a  year. 
This  plant  has  less  than  500  employees.  A  plant  having  be- 
tween 500  and  i ,000  workers  pays  its  head  physician  $3,300 
for  three  hours  each  day.  In  another  plant  a  part-time 
physician  receives  $60  a  month  for  three  afternoons  each  week. 
There  are  no  standards  by  which  to  determine  how  much 
should  be  paid  for  medical  services ;  it  is  a  matter  determined 
solely  by  the  circumstances  in  the  particular  case. 

Industrial  Nurses 

The  rest  of  the  personnel  falls  into  two  classes — those  who 
have  the  training  of  the  schools,  and  those  who  have  the 
training  of  experience  only.  Selby,  in  his  "Studies  of  the 
Medical  and  Surgical  Care  of  Industrial  Workers,"  already 


ORGANIZING   PLANT  HEALTH   DEPARTMENT 


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lS6  LABOR  MAINTENANCE 

referred  to  in  these  pages,  says,  "The  trained  female  nurses 
are  65  per  cent  of  the  whole  number  and  the  others  are — 
trained  male  nurses  4  per  cent,  experienced  women  3  per  cent 
and  experienced  men  27  per  cent." 

It  is  seen  that  the  female  trained  nurses  greatly  outnumber 
the  untrained  or  "experienced,"  while  the  ratio  is  reversed 
in  the  case  of  men.  The  young  woman  who  goes  into  nursing 
knows  that  she  will  advance  to  full  standing  and  earnings 
only  by  having  the  training  to  be  gained  in  the  schools.  On 
the  other  hand  the  young  man  hesitates  to  spend  three  or  four 
extra  years  in  school  or  hospital  classes  and  trusts  that  assisting 
those  who  are  trained  will  advance  him  to  substantial  earnings 
in  this  new  field.  Men  have  come  into  such  work  rather  by 
chance  or  by  circumstances.  In  this  connection  Selby  again 
says,  "Clerks  and  other  employees  whose  duties  have  thrown 
them  into  contact  with  accident  cases  have  gradually  developed, 
through  observation,  experience,  and  perhaps  some  study,  into 
dispensary  attendants." 

Naturally  a  course  of  technical  training  is  altogether  desir- 
able for  the  attendant,  yet  in  many  small  industrial  plants, 
which  cannot  afford  high-salaried  attendants,  the  person  who 
has  had  practical  experience  in  the  dispensaries  of  other  plants 
or  in  hospitals,  under  skilled  physicians  and  trained  nurses, 
may  be  an  efficient  attendant.  Here  as  in  other  situations  in 
business  and  industry  personality  counts. 

As  the  industrial  clinic  becomes  established  more  and  more 
widely,  however,  we  may  expect  that  the  standards  of  profes- 
sional equipment  for  assistants  all  up  and  down  the  line  will 
be  raised,  and  that  school  courses  will  be  more  generally 
required  for  the  attendant. 

Dispensary  attendants  cleanse  and  dress  wounds,  care  for 
mild  cases  of  accident,  and  after  consulting  the  head  of  the 
department,  give  medicines  for  headaches,  constipation,  and 
minor  ailments.  They  assist  the  physician  in  the  more  diffi- 


ORGANIZING   PLANT   HEALTH   DEPARTMENT 

cult  cases  and  examinations,  keep  records,  and,  when  special 
clerks  are  not  provided,  prepare  reports.  In  some  plants  they 
give  information  for  health  promotion  or  accident  prevention 
to  employees,  individually  or  collectively. 

The  industrial  nurse  must  be  tactful,  quick  to  understand 
the  difficulties  of  individual  cases,  and  sympathetic.  She  gets 
closer  to  the  patient  and  many  times  has  greater  influence 
with  him  than  the  attending  physician.  The  natural  qualities 
of  women,  of  gentleness,  feeling,  patience,  and  insight  make 
them  preferable  and  in  greater  demand  in  industrial  clinics. 

Again  the  attendant  nurse  has  a  rare  opportunity  to  make 
new  contacts  between  the  employee  and  the  employer.  The 
worker  forgetting  that  accidents  and  illness  occur  in  employ- 
ment as  well  as  in  idleness,  may  feel  an  accident  or  illness  is 
chargeable  to  his  employer.  Through  skill,  kindly  suggestion, 
and  sympathy,  the  nurse  can  help  to  correct  such  an  impres- 
sion, and  at  the  same  time  the  health  and  strength  of  the 
worker,  so  vital  to  success  in  industry,  will  be  conserved. 

Course  of  Training  for  Industrial  Nurses 

A  typical  course  for  the  training  of  industrial  nurses  has 
recently  been  established  at  Boston  University,  extending 
through  the  summer  session.  The  following  statement  an- 
nouncing the  course  has  some  interesting  points  apropos  of 
the  present  discussion: 

Factory  Nursing.  This  course  is  offered  in  co-operation 
with  the  Industrial  Committee  of  the  New  England  section, 
National  Civic  Federation,  in  response  to  an  urgent  request 
by  representatives  of  large  business  interests  who  feel  the 
need  of  well-trained  factory  nurses.  It  is  intended  to  prepare 
men  and  women  to  act  as  qualified  assistants  to  industrial 
managers  in  supervising  and  promoting  the  health  of  em- 
ployees and  sanitary  conditions  of  employment.  It  is  es- 
pecially planned  to  aid  in  the  practical  preparation  of  the 
factory  nurse. 


188  LABOR  MAINTENANCE 

In  large  manufacturing  establishments  the  position  of  fac- 
tory nurse  is  becoming  one  of  increasing  importance.  In 
many  establishments  the  factory  nurse  not  only  has  charge 
of  emergency  rooms,  to  which  accident  or  sickness  may  occa- 
sionally bring  an  employee,  but  has  general  supervision  of 
sanitary  conditions.  She  co-operates  with  the  employment 
department,  making  vocational  studies  and  thus  assisting  the 
management  in  properly  placing  employees.  She  is  of  equal 
assistance  to  the  employee,  helping  the  individual  to  work 
into  the  most  suitable  position. 

Since  many  manufacturers  are  requiring  these  services 
of  the  factory  nurse,  the  rapidly  increasing  demand  offers 
an  attractive  field  for  graduate  nurses  and  other  specially 
qualified  women. 

The  work  will  consist  of  lectures  by  the  instructor  and 
by  representatives  of  important  industries,  who  will  deal  with 
the  opportunities  of  this  form  of  service.  Such  topics  as 
the  following  will  be  considered:  f industrial  organization; 
health  supervision  of  employees ;  physical  conditions  of  plants 
and  their  effect  on  the  health  and  the  efficiency  of  the 
workers;  workmen's  compensation;  physical  examination  of 
employees;  first-aid  treatment  of  injured  and  sick  by  fellow- 
employees,  etc. 

The  lectures  will  be  illustrated  with  the  stereopticon. 
There  will  be  several  visits  to  manufacturing  establishments 
in  the  city  or  near  vicinity,  for  the  purpose  of  demonstrating 
and  applying  the  subject  matter  of  the  course. 

Monday,  Wednesday,  and  Friday  from  3-5  for  four  weeks, 
beginning  July  2. 

For  this  course  a  special  fee  of  only  $5  is  charged. 


Work  of  the  Standard  Oil  Company 

There  are  many  fine  health  departments  in  industrial 
plants,  among  them  being  that  conducted  by  the  Standard 
Oil  Company.  The  medical  department  of  this  company  con- 
sists of  a  medical  consultant,  a  medical  director,  ten  full-time 
physicians,  four  part-time  physicians,  and  three  hundred  doc- 
tors employed  on  a  fee  basis  when  called  upon.  There  are 


ORGANIZING   PLANT   HEALTH   DEPARTMENT          189 

also  six  women  and  ten  male  nurses  and  four  clerks.     The 
work  in  general  comes  under  the  following  heads: 

1.  Treatment  of  emergency  accident  cases. 

2.  Examination  of  new  employees. 

3.  Rating  old  employees  as  to  their  general  physical  con- 

dition. 

4.  General  medical  advice. 

5.  Sanitary  supervision  of  the  plants. 

6.  The  management  of  a  tuberculosis  home  for  employees. 

7.  Planning  new  medical  quarters. 

8.  Administration. 

As  to  the  results  of  this  work,  the  company  states: 

It  is  manifestly  impossible  to  strike  an  exact  trial  balance 
between  the  cost  of  the  medical  department  and  the  value 
of  results  achieved,  but  in  the  brief  experience  of  the  medical 
service  here  it  is  possible  to  point  to  many  definite  instances 
in  which  the  period  of  disability  of  employees  has  been 
shortened;  while  in  many  other  cases  permanent  injuries 
have  been  obviated  through  prompt  and  thorough  treatment. 
Absence  from  work  because  of  chronic  disease  has  been 
confined  largely  to  employees  taken  on  prior  to  the  adoption 
of  the  present  system. 

The  American  Rolling  Mill  Company 

Another  successful  medical  department  is  that  of  the 
American  Rolling  Mill  Company,  Youngstown,  Ohio.  The 
company  employs  three  full-time  physicians,  eleven  nurses, 
and  three  clerks.  The  organization  of  the  department  includes 
a  main  hospital  completely  equipped,  a  "colored  hospital/' 
central  works  and  shop  dispensaries,  and  a  physical  examina- 
tion department.  Laboratory  facilities  are  also  provided. 

A  complete  clinical  record  of  each  employee  is  kept,  and 
if  this  shows  that  the  health  of  the  particular  employee  is  not 


190  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

normal  he  is  given  a  thorough  examination  and  if  it  appears 
advisable,  a  change  of  work  is  recommended. 

The  American  Cast  Iron  Pipe  Company 

The  medical  department  of  the  American  Cast  Iron  Pipe 
Company,  Birmingham,  Alabama,  maintains  two  physicians, 
one  surgeon,  and  several  trained  nurses  as  well  as  a  staff  of 
consulting  specialists.  There  are  operating  and  consultation 
rooms.  One  of  the  most  successful  features  of  the  work  is 
that  done  by  the  company  dentist.  There  are  two  dental 
operating  rooms  and  most  of  the  work  is  done  free. 

The  services  of  the  medical  department  are  furnished  to 
married  men  and  their  families  for  a  fee  of  $i  per  month. 
There  is  a  fee  of  50  cents  per  month  for  single  men. 

The  British  Government's  Requirements 

The  British  government  requires  all  blast  furnaces,  copper- 
mills,  iron-mills,  and  foundries,  and  metal  works  employing 
500  or  more,  to  provide  and  maintain  in  good  order  what 
it  calls  an  "ambulance  room."  This  room  must  be  a  separate 
room  used  only  for  the  purpose  of  treatment  and  rest.  It 
must  have  a  floor  space  of  not  less  than  100  square  feet  and 
"smooth,  hard,  and  impervious  walls  and  floor,  and  shall  be 
provided  with  ample  means  of  natural  and  artificial  lighting." 
This  room  must  contain  at  least: 

1.  A  glazed  sink  with  hot  and  cold  water  always  available. 

2.  A  table  with  a  smooth  top. 

3.  Means  for  sterilizing  instruments. 

4.  A  supply  of  suitable  dressings,  bandages,  and  splints. 

5.  A  couch. 

6.  A  stretcher. 

Where  ( persons  of  both  sexes  are  employed,  arrangements 
must  be  made  for  their  separate  treatment. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

WORK  OF  THE   PLANT  HEALTH  DEPARTMENT 

Physical  Examinations 

With  the  establishment  of  the  health  department  in  indus- 
try has  come  the  practice  of  giving  a  careful  physical  examina- 
tion to  applicants  for  employment.  Sometimes  such  an  ex- 
amination is  given  even  to  persons  who  have  been  employed 
for  some  time,  so  that  the  management  may  be  assured  of 
their  satisfactory  physical  condition.  As  a  requirement  for 
new  employees,  the  examination  is  becoming  rather  general. 

The  employer  is  responsible  for  taking  into  his  business 
or  manufacture  only  those  persons  who  have  the  health  and 
strength  requisite  for  the  particular  work  to  be  done.  The 
efficiency  of  the  worker  is  thus  assured,  and  a  full  measure 
of  production  obtained. 

On  the  other  hand,  no  harm  is  done  to  those  whose  physical 
condition  keeps  them  out  of  a  particular  employment,  for 
they  may  take  measures  for  recuperation  or  physical  develop- 
ment which  otherwise  they  might  never  adopt.  The  physical 
examination  is  recognized  as  necessary  not  only  for  the  good 
of  the  worker  himself,  but,  to  protect  one's  fellow-workers 
from  any  contagious  disease  or  unpleasant  physical  ailment. 
An  indication  of  how  important  this  matter  is  may  be  gained 
from  the  fact  that  of  the  two  and  a  half  million  men,  between 
the  ages  of  21  and  30,  who  were  examined  for  the  National 
Army  in  1917,  34  per  cent  were  found  physically  unfit  for 
military  service  and  were  rejected.  It  was  estimated  that  over 
one-third  of  this  number  were  suffering  from  remediable 
defects. 

191 


I92  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

Objections  and  Difficulties 

Difficulties  of  real  importance  sometimes  arise  in  connec- 
tion with  physical  examinations  of  female  employees.  The 
best  practice  provides  for  a  woman  physician  to  do  this  work. 
If  that  is  not  feasible,  a  nurse  or  matron  should  be  present 
when  the  examination  is  made  and  unnecessary  exposure  of 
the  body  should  be  avoided.  There  is  little  objection  to  the 
examination  if  its  purpose  is  carefully  explained. 

The  medical  examination  of  new  employees  should  always 
be  made  before  the  applicant  is  engaged  for  employment.  A 
number  of  employers  have  not  followed  this  important  rule, 
with  the  result  that  some  workers  who  had  given  up  positions 
in  other  concerns  to  enter  the  plants  of  the  employers  we 
have  mentioned,  found  themselves  without  jobs  after  a  short 
time  because  of  failure  to  pass  the  physical  examination.  Such 
a  procedure  is  unjust,  and  is  good  ground  for  dissatisfaction 
with  the  system. 

Much  of  the  objection  to  physical  examination  has  been 
owing  to  the  fact  that  some  employers  have  used  the  physical 
examination  as  a  means  of  blacklisting  workers  who  had  tried 
to  develop  unionism  among  the  workers  of  certain  industrial 
communities.  Another  source  of  objection  was  the  fear  that 
if  rejected  because  of  physical  defects  in  a  particular  concern 
which  had  an  interchange  of  information  with  other  concerns, 
a  worker  would  have  to  move  his  family  out  of  the  district 
and  find  employment  in  some  distant  center. 

Western  Electric  Company 

The  work  of  the  Western  Electric  Company  in  this  phase 
of  employment  management  is  an  example  of  what  the  fore- 
most concerns  are  now  attempting.  The  company's  "sugges- 
tions to  the  examining  physician"  indicate  the  purpose  and 
scope  of  the  physical  examination  so  well  that  they  are  in- 
cluded here,  in  part,  in  the  following  statements : 


WORK   OF   PLANT   HEALTH   DEPARTMENT  193 

THE  EXAMINING  PHYSICIAN 

We  require  that  each  new  employee  submit  to  a  physical 
examination  for  the  purpose  of  securing  such  information 
with  reference  to  the  past  and  present  health  of  the  applicant 
as  will  enable  us  to  evaluate  correctly  his  ability  to  perform 
his  duties  without  danger  to  his  health  or  injury  to  himself. 
It  is  equally  essential  that  the  employment  of  the  applicant 
does  not  subject  his  fellow-employees  to  undue  risks. 

It  is  necessary  for  us  to  depend  on  you,  as  our  examining 
physician,  to  inform  us  as  to  the  risk  we  would  be  compelled 
to  assume  if  the  applicants  whom  you  examine  should  be 
employed.  Your  duty  towards  us  differs  from  that  of  an 
examining  physician  for  an  insurance  company  in  this 
respect:  To  them  you  would -stand  as  adviser  as  to  the 
expectancy  of  life,  upon  which  advice  would  depend  the  pay- 
ment of  losses;  to  us  you  are  the  adviser  as  to  the  expectancy 
of  health,  upon  which  information  we  must  depend  as  to  our 
risk  from  sickness  or  injury  to  our  employees. 

The  examination  report  which  we  use  we  believe  covers 
only  the  information  necessary  to  make  a  fair  decision  in 
each  case,  and  it  is  essential  that  we  have  complete  informa- 
tion as  called  for  in  these  reports  in  order  that  we  may 
have  a  well-defined  picture  of  the  ohysical  condition  of  the 
applicant  who  is  examined. 

As  a  result  of  your  physical  examination,  applicants 
should  be  classified  in  one  of  the  following  classes,  and  this 
classification  entered  on  the  report  under  the  heading 
"Remarks": 

First,  those  who  should  be  classed  "Accepted."  Appli- 
cants whose  physical  and  mental  conditions  are  free  from 
acute  or  chronic  diseases  and  whose  anatomical  structures 
compare  favorably  with  the  normal,  who  are  free  from 
deformity  or  maiming  of  any  kind,  and  whose  expectancy  of 
health  is  good  at  the  time  of  examination. 

Second,  those  who  should  be  classed  "Physically  Unfit." 
Applicants  who  at  the  time  of  examination  show  some  evi- 
dence of  disease,  either  acute  or  chronic;  some  injury  or 
deformity;  some  substandard  condition  which  might  become 
aggravated,  or  which  might  influence  the  health  of  a  fellow- 


194  LABOR  MAINTENANCE 

workman;  but  which  condition,  in  your  opinion,  can  be 
corrected  and  the  applicant  restored  to  a  normal  standard 
of  health.  Applicants  of  this  class  shall  not  be  approved  for 
employment  but  may  be  reconsidered  for  employment  after 
the  defective  condition  has  been  remedied. 

Third,  those  who  should  be  classed  "Rejected."  Appli- 
cants who  are  afflicted  with  disease  or  injury,  who  are 
maimed  or  deformed,  or  who  have  defective  vision  to  such 
an  extent  that  these  conditions  cannot  be  sufficiently  cor- 
rected to  restore  the  applicants  to  a  normal  physical  condi- 
tion. Applicants  of  this  class  shall  not  be  reconsidered  for 
employment. 

For  the  purpose  of  obtaining  uniformity  of  results  and 
to  be  of  assistance  to  you  in  forming  an  idea  of  our  require- 
ments we  are  listing  below  general  descriptions  of  the  in- 
formation required  under  the  various  headings  on  the  ex- 
amination cards.  The  subjective  part  of  the  examination 
we  do  not  consider  of  as  much  importance  to  us  as  the 
objective,  for,  while  it  often  furnishes  favorable  information 
as  to  the  past  health,  the  real  purpose  of  the  examination 
is  to  determine  the  condition  of  applicants  at  the  time  they 
are  employed. 

Although  the  final  responsibility  for  accepting  or  rejecting 
applicants  rests  with  us,  with  you,  as  examiner,  rests  the 
responsibility  for  the  accuracy  and  completeness  of  the  record 
of  the  physical  examination  of  the  applicant,  and  it  is, 
therefore,  upon  your  vigilance  and  judgment  that  we  depend 
to  deal  justly  and  fairly  with  our  applicants  and  to  be  suc- 
cessful in  conducting  that  phase  of  our  physical  examination 
work  with  which  you  are  associated. 


Avery  Company 

Dr.  C.  G.  Farnum,  chief  surgeon  of  the  Avery  Company, 
Peoria,  Illinois,  in  a  paper  read  before  the  American  Public 
Health  Association,  at  Rochester,  New  York,  made  some 
significant  statements  about  physical  examinations  which  are 
of  especial  interest  at  this  point.  Some  of  them,  dealing  with 
the  number  of  physically  perfect  and  handicapped  men  and 


WORK   OF    PLANT   HEALTH   DEPARTMENT  195 

the  special  defects  covered  by  examination  at  the  Avery  Com- 
pany, follow: 

Wherever  routine  physical  examinations  of  large  groups 
of  men  have  been  carried  out  it  has  been  most  strikingly 
.  demonstrated  that  here  in  America  the  number  of  physically 
perfect  men  is  extremely  small — so  small  that  but  a  meager 
part  of  the  work  of  the  world  could  be  carried  on  by  them. 
The  statistics  on  this  point  vary  from  less  than  I  per  cent 
to  12  per  cent,  depending  on  classification  and  the  thorough- 
ness of  the  examinations.  On  the  other  hand,  these  same 
routine  examinations  reveal  the  equally  interesting  fact  that 
the  percentage  of  men  whose  defects  render  them  unfit  for 
any  form  of  employment  is  likewise  exceedingly  small.  Be- 
tween these  two  small  groups  that  occupy  the  extremes  in 
the  scale,  lies  the  incalculably  huge  army  of  workers  who 
are  doing  their  daily  tasks  under  greater  or  less  handicaps 
to  their  efficiency  and  progress,  and  whose  accident  hazard 
is  increased  to  a  corresponding  degree. 

These  groups  of  major  defects  are  as  follows: 

1.  Diseased  hearts  and  circulatory  apparatus. 

2.  Diseased  kidneys  and  diabetes. 

3.  Defective  vision. 

4.  Defective  hearing. 

5.  Venereal  diseases. 

6.  Hernia. 

7.  Diseases  of  the  lungs. 

8.  Atrophies,  ankylosis,  amputations,  impaired  reflexes. 

We  have  omitted  many  things  that  might  have  been  in- 
cluded and  which  are  covered  by  our  examinations,  such  as 
flat  foot,  varicose  veins,  constipation,  overweight,  under- 
weight, decayed  teeth,  diseased  gums,  infected  tonsils,  nasal 
defects,  diseased  external  eyes,  diseases  of  the  nose  and 
accessory  sinuses,  skin  lesions,  and  hemorrhoids,  all  of  which 
defects  might  be  factors  in  the  production  of  accidents. 

The  conclusion  of  the  whole  matter  is  excellently  stated  by 
Dr.  Farnum  thus: 


196  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

We  care  for  our  men  when  they  are  injured,  advise  them 
when  they  are  sick,  confer  with  them  as  to  their  health  and 
habits,  examine  them  periodically,  and  supervise  them  con- 
stantly; and  whatever  be  the  subject  in  hand,  it  is  always 
made  a  matter  of  private  personal  conference.  We  deal 
but  little  with  our  men  en  masse.  It  is  true  we  issue  bulletins 
on  safety,  health,  and  general  information,  but  at  the  Avery 
Company  we  look  upon  the  individual  man  as  the  one  essen- 
tial, basic  element  in  the  whole  scheme  of  civilization.  We 
believe  in  men.  We  consider  them  the  most  valuable  things 
in  all  the  world,  and  we  think  that  they  deserve  to  be  dealt 
with  individually  for  the  solution  of  their  individual  problems 
and  needs.  No  employer's  time  is  so  valuable  that  some  of 
it  cannot  be  profitably  spent  this  way,  for  medical  and  safety 
supervision  is  not  a  charitable  institution.  It  is  an  invest- 
ment, the  dividends  on  which  are  efficiency  and  loyalty — 
two  of  the  most  valuable  assets  any  employer  can  possess. 

Other  Methods 

At  the  Bourneville  Works  of  Cadbury  Brothers,  the  fa- 
mous English  cocoa  manufacturers,  the  hands  of  employees  are 
examined  periodically  to  prevent  eczema  and  other  skin 
troubles.  When  it  is  found  that  workers  cannot,  or  ought 
not  to  perform  a  certain  sort  of  work,  they  are  transferred 
to  another  sort.  Warmed  and  dry  dressing-rooms  are  an  im- 
portant adjunct  to  the  health  precautions  taken  at  this  progres- 
sive plant.  The  company  employs  two  physicians,  one  a 
woman,  and  four  trained  nurses. 

A  new  development  in  the  matter  of  physical  examinations 
of  employees,  is  the  group  diagnostic  clinic.  Plants  which 
do  not  employ  their  own  physician  form  themselves  into  a 
group,  and  designate  some  clinic  as  their  examining  agent. 
The  clinic,  being  in  the  employ  of  the  group,  examines  appli- 
cants for  any  plant  within  the  group.  The  clinic  in  Toledo, 
Ohio,  is  the  best  example  of  this.  It  has  offices  in  various 
parts  of  the  city  and  reaches  thousands  of  employees.  In 


WORK   OF   PLANT   HEALTH   DEPARTMENT  197 

Chicago  this  plan  is  being  worked  out  in  co-operation  with 
Rush  Medical  College. 

Dental  Service 

The  amount  of  time  lost  by  workers  in  industry  through 
lack  of  care  of  the  teeth  is  almost  appalling.  Loss  of  teeth 
by  pyorrhea,  neuralgia,  and  rheumatism  are  only  the  more 
glaring  troubles  that  arise.  The  general  health  and  efficiency 
of  the  worker  may  depend  almost  entirely  on  the  condition 
of  the  teeth.  Much  lost  time  which  never  figures  in  accident 
or  sickness  reports  because  it  amounts  to  only  a  day  or  two 
at  a  time,  is  owing  to  trouble  with  teeth.  In  recruiting  men 
in  the  late  war,  the  government  had,  first,  to  exclude  those 
whose  teeth  were  in  such  condition  that  normal  health  and 
strength  could  not  be  maintained  by  the  mastication  and 
assimilation  of  food;  and  second,  to  do  extensive  dental  work 
for  those  accepted.  Many  of  the  men  enlisting  or  drafted  had 
never  consulted  a  dentist. 

An  examination  of  the  total  number  of  employees  in  a 
certain  plant  employing  7,000  men,  showed  38  per  cent  having 
teeth  so  bad  as  to  interfere  seriously  with  their  efficiency. 
Often  it  is  found  that  foreign-born  workers  do  not  know 
what  a  tooth-brush  is,  and  the  industrial  dentist  must  keep 
one  on  his  desk  for  demonstration  purposes. 

Operation  of  Dental  Clinics 

Factories  and  industrial  establishments  throughout  the 
world  have  established  dental  clinics  in  connection  with  their 
health  departments.  The  condition  of  the  teeth  may  be  in- 
cluded in  the  physical  examination.  The  clinic  is  usually  in 
charge  of  an  accredited  dentist  with  such  assistants  or  dental 
nurses  as  the  size  of  a  concern  may  warrant.  It  is  kept  open 
through  the  working  hours  of  the  day,  or,  for  instance,  from 


198  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

8:00  to  11:30  A.M.,  and  from  12:30  to  4:00  P.M.,  on  fixed 
days  of  the  week. 

A  record  is  kept  of  all  operations  performed  in  the  dis- 
pensary and  regular  reports  are  made  to  the  management. 
Lectures  on  the  care  of  the  teeth  and  other  dental  subjects 
are  given  by  the  dentist  in  charge,  to  groups  of  employees. 

The  services  are  absolutely  free  to  the  employees  of  the 
company.  No  charge  is  made  for  material  or  labor.  Service 
is  first  of  all  preventive,  to  safeguard  the  worker  against  more 
serious  trouble  or  loss  of  time.  After  that  it  may  extend  to 
the  treatment  of  more  severe  cases. 

Employees  are  not  compelled  to  accept  the  services  of  the 
dental  dispensary,  but  are  generally  urged  to  do  so.  Some 
firms  employing  women  provide  tooth-brushes  and  dentifrices 
free  or  at  cost  to  employees.  Other  concerns  send  out  special 
bulletins  on  the  care  of  teeth,  a  typical  example  being  the 
following  sent  out  by  a  large  mining  corporation. 

HINTS  ON  CARE  OF  TEETH 

It  is  fast  coming  to  be  an  accepted  fact  that  good  health 
depends  largely  on  good  teeth  and  a  clean  mouth. 

A  well-known  life  insurance  company  recently  issued  a 
letter  to  its  employees  from  which  the  following  is  an 
extract:  "As  the  healthy  and  continued  life  of  the  whole 
body  depends  upon  the  air  it  breathes  and  the  food  it  as- 
similates, and  as  both  of  these  are  directly  affected  by  the 
conditions  of  the  mouth,  it  is  not  an  exaggeration  to  say 
that  many  of  the  ills  of  mankind  will  be  banished  as  soon 
as  the  teeth  and  mouth  receive  the  care  and  attention  they 
require." 

Decay  of  the  teeth  is  seldom  Classed  as  a  disease.  It 
should  be  considered  as  such,  as  the  decay  from  broken- 
down  teeth  is  of  a  particularly  virulent  character,  for  it  is 
connected  with  disease  of  the  bone.  This  diseased  bone 
being  in  the  mouth  is  mixed  with  the  food  and  swallowed 
every  time  the  patient  eats.  If  this  pus  matter  and  diseased 


WORK   OF   PLANT   HEALTH   DEPARTMENT  199 

bone  were  outside  of  the  mouth  one  would  never  willingly 
or  knowingly  eat  it,  yet  that  is  what  happens  when  people 
neglect  their  teeth. 

In  the  work  of  the  dental  division  it  has  been  found  that 
80  per  cent  of  all  children  have  decaying  teeth.  If  a  child  has 
decayed  teeth  it  cannot  properly  chew  its  food.  Improperly 
chewed  food  and  an  unclean  mouth  cause  bad  digestion,  and 
consequently  poor  general  health. 

Parents  can  greatly  aid  the  children  by  encouraging  them 
to  follow  the  instruction  given  in  school  by  the  dental  nurse, 
and  by  seeing  that  they  are  kept  supplied  with  clean  and 
serviceable  tooth-brushes. 

National  Cash  Register  Company 

The  National  Cash  Register  Company  has  a  well-equipped 
dental  clinic  that  has  proved  of  great  service  to  the  employees 
of  the  company,  and  thus  to  the  company  itself.  A  report 
of  this  clinic  makes  the  statement  that  "keeping  workers  in 
good  health  by  looking  after  their  teeth  is  just  as  essential 
as  keeping  machinery  in  working  order."  The  following  is 
a  summary  of  all  operations  performed  in  the  clinic  of  the 
National  Cash  Register  Company  in  the  six  months'  oeriod 
from  July  i  to  December  31,  1918: 

Examinations  of  employees 503 

Extractions  502 

Amalgam  fillings   31 

Cement  fillings 53 

Gutta-percha  fillings 20 

Prophylactic 564 

Abscess  treatments    15 

First-aid   386 

Consultations    75 

Gum  treatments   83 

Nerves  removed I 

Miscellaneous  treatments 288 

Total  treatments 2,521 


200  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

Eye  Treatment 

The  health  movement  in  employment  has  included  the 
proper  examination  and  care  of  the  eyes  of  the  workers.  No 
feature  of  industrial  safety  has  shown  more  satisfactory  re- 
sults than  industrial  eye  protection.  Thousands  of  industrial 
workers  whose  occupations  are  hazardous  are  today  enjoy- 
ing the  continuation  of  perfect  sight  because  of  having  worn 
goggles  during  working  hours.  Wherever  there  is  danger 
to  the  eye  from  flying  particles  of  metals  or  chemicals,  or 
from  dust,  or  from  intense  light  or  heat,  goggles  have  been 
found  to  be  the  greatest  protection.  They  have  often  pre- 
vented painful  injury  and  loss  of  sight.  Some  firms  compel 
their  use;  others  furnish  them  if  the  workers  desire  them. 
It  has  been  estimated  that  80  per  cent  of  all  eye  accidents  which 
happened  in  the  past  were  preventable. 

Among  the  firms  which  provide  an  oculist  for  their  em- 
ployees may  be  mentioned  the  Wayne  Knitting  Mills,  Fort 
Wayne,  Indiana;  Montgomery  Ward  Company,  Chicago; 
Kaynee  Company,  New  York ;  Rowntree  Brothers,  York,  Eng. 

The  extensive  dental  and  optical  service  now  being  in- 
troduced in  the  public  schools  will  enable  young  people  to 
enter  employment  with  better  health  and  sight,  and  will  lessen 
the  task  now  imposed  upon  industry  through  the  former  dis- 
regard of  these  matters  on  the  part  of  the  public. 

The  Visiting  Nurse — Her  Qualifications  and  Functions 

In  order  to  lessen  absence  from  work  some  employers  have 
special  nurses  whose  duty  it  is  to  investigate  conditions  and 
visit  the  homes  of  persons  not  reporting  for  duty.  Illness  is 
the  most  frequent  cause  of  absence,  and  any  means  of  hasten- 
ing recovery  is  desirable.  The  visiting  nurse  may  also  visit 
the  patient  who  has  been  treated  in  the  factory  clinic  and 
sent  home  or  to  a  hospital  for  recuperation.  In  allowing  the 
ordinary  factory  nurse  to  act  as  an  investigator  of  absences, 


WORK   OF   PLANT   HEALTH   DEPARTMENT  2OI 

there  is  the  obvious  danger  of  jeopardizing  the  good-will 
of  the  employee  toward  the  department.  Armour  and  Com- 
pany avoid  this  danger  by  having  nurses  of  the  local  district 
association  attached  to  their  industrial  staff  for  this  particular 
duty.  Another  concern  in  a  small  community  supports  a 
district  nurse  who,  in  addition  to  her  general  service  to  the 
public,  attends  ill  employees  of  the  company  as  well. 

"The  appraisal  of  industrial  nursing  service,  expressed  in 
letters  from  companies  of  national  and  international  reputa- 
tion,"  says  Miss  Ella  P.  Crandall,  Executive  Secretary  of  the 
National  Organization  for  Public  Health  Nursing,  "is  very 
interesting  and  may  be  summarized  as  follows: 

"The  employment  of  visiting  nurses: 

1.  Avoids  frequent  changes. 

2.  Avoids  serious  infection. 

3.  Avoids  long  and  frequent  absences. 

4.  Avoids  excessive  physicians'  bills. 

5.  Results  in  decreased  number  of  deaths. 

6.  Results  in  decreased  number  of  disabilities,  both  per- 

manent and  partial. 

7.  Results  in  decreased  number  of  accidents. 

8.  Helps  to  solve  the  difficulty  (in  some  instances)  of 

obtaining  sufficient  operators. 

9.  Offers  an  avenue  to  employees  for  reaching  the  com- 

pany. 

10.  Offers  an  avenue  of  friendly  relationship  and  service. 

11.  Affords  assistance  in  obtaining  information  regarding 

the  extent  and  causes  of  accidents. 

12.  Has  a  distinct  value  in  determining  liability. 

13.  Increases  efficiency  of  employees." 

A1  recent  list  of  industrial  nursing  activities  shows  that  they 
are  now  established  in  205  cities  and  towns  in  36  states. 
There  are  460  firms  employing  567  nurses.  These  firms  include 


202  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

a  very  wide  range  of  enterprises,  from  the  building  of  ships 
to  the  building  of  typewriters,  and  from  the  manufacture  of 
textiles  to  the  making  of  matches. 

Eastman  Kodak  Company 

The  work  done  in  home-visiting  by  the  Eastman  Kodak 
Company  and  outlined  below  is  of  especial  value  and  sig- 
nificance : 

Personnel : 

1.  A  graduate  nurse  with  social  service  training. 

2.  One  clerical  assistant,  part-time. 

Scope  and  Character  of  Work:  Indicated  by  attached  daily  and 
monthly  report  sheets.  Miscellaneous  calls  are  not  classified.  No 
bedside  nursing  is  done.  The  visitor's  work  is  chiefly  advisory, 
educational  and  in  other  ways  remedial. 

1.  Requests  to  call  are  received  from: 

(a)  Employment  managers  of  the  various  plants  to  whom 

foremen  and  superintendents  report  cases  of  illness 
and  other  social  problems  among  workmen  and  their 
families. 

(b)  Managers  of  plants. 

(c)  The  intramural  company  nurses. 

(d)  Company  physicians. 

(e)  Employees  direct. 

(f)  Other  social  agencies  in  the  city,  such  as  hospital  dis- 

pensaries, the  United  Charities,  etc.,  with  whom  close 
co-operation  is  practiced  through  the  medium  of  the 
Confidential  Exchange. 

2.  Reports  on  individual  cases  made  by  letter  to  persons  referring 

case  to  visitor.  Monthly  reports  to  managers,  statistical 
only.  .  .  .  Occasional  narratives  of  "human  interest"  stories 
are  sent  to  managers  as  supplementary  to  statistical  reports. 

3.  Records  of  visitor  consist  of  carbons  of  above  letters,  together 

with  narrative  records  in  the  third  person  filed  alpha- 
betically by  plants.  A  day-book  is  kept  by  visitor  for 
personal  use  and  records,  names,  and  addresses  of  persons 
called  on  by  dates. 


WORK  OF  PLANT  HEALTH  DEPARTMENT  203 

Method  of  Handling  Cases.  The  visiting  nurse  does  not  regard 
it  as  her  function  to  handle  the  cases  by  herself  except  in  certain 
instances — that  is,  when  the  problems  involved  are  slight,  temporary, 
or  of  a  character  for  which  no  suitable  agency  exists  in  the  city. 
For  example,  situations  involving  cruelty  or  neglect  of  children  are 
referred  to  the  Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty  to  Children, 
which  takes  the  lead  and  with  which  the  visitor  co-operates  on 
request.  In  sickness  (not  accident  cases)  dispensaries  or  private 
physicians  are  advised.  Sickness  or  accident  resulting  in  unemploy- 
ment and  consequent  insufficient  means  of  support  are  referred  to 
the  United  Charities,  or  if  eligible,  to  the  Welfare  Department  of 
the  Kodak  Company  for  allowance  or  loan.  Credit  is  sometimes 
arranged  for  with  tradesmen,  physicians,  or  hospitals, 

Training  of  Nurses 

The  visiting  nurse  should  have  not  only  the  regular  nurse's 
training,  but  should  be  familiar  also  with  the  state  laws  re- 
lating to  employment,  the  regulations  of  local  boards  of  health, 
and  the  special  work  now  being  done  in  industry  for  the 
general  welfare  of  employees.  The  visiting  nurse,  if  she  is 
to  fulfil  her  mission,  must  have  tact  and  good  judgment.  She 
must  have  the  ability  to  gauge  and  understand  the  cause  of 
absence  of  the  worker  she  is  visiting,  and  at  the  same  time 
know  what  he  needs  in  the  way  of  treatment.  Through  her 
the  employer  comes  in  closest  contact  with  the  home. 

Restrooms  for  Women 

In  connection  with  the  health  department,  progressive 
firms  are  now  providing  restrooms  for  women  and  girls.  The 
noise  of  the  machinery  and  the  stir  and  bustle  of  the  modern 
industrial  plant  wear  upon  the  nervous  strength  of  women 
more  than  upon  that  of  men.  Continual  standing  at  bench 
or  table,  moreover,  is  especially  wearing  for  the  female  con- 
stitution. The  great  numbers  of  women  employed  in  this  and 
foreign  countries  in  war  times  have  accentuated  these  diffi- 
culties and  caused  employers  everywhere  to  consider  means 


204  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

of  remedying  them.  The  attempt  in  some  establishments,  to 
have  regular  rest  periods  both  forenoon  and  afternoon  has 
not  solved  the  problem  of  rest  for  those  who  suffer  from 
temporary  fatigue  or  sudden  illness  while  in  the  factory.  A 
room  or  several  rooms  set  apart  from  departments  of  work 
and  from  the  quarters  usually  reserved  for  men  do  provide 
the  desired  solution. 

The  Packard  Motor  Car  Company,  because  of  the  scarcity 
of  male  labor  during  the  war,  has  largely  increased  the  number 
of  women  employees  in  its  factory,  and  has  taken  very  progres- 
sive steps  in  the  training  and  care  of  women.  W.  J.  Ham- 
mond, superintendent  of  the  vocational  school  established  by 
the  company,  has  the  following  to  say  about  restrooms  in  his 
outline  of  work: 

The  subject  of  the  restrooms  is  of  prime  importance. 
The  restroom  is  established  for  two  purposes:  as  a  place 
for  a  woman  to  change  her  clothes;  and  to  provide  a  space 
for  the  woman  who  is  suddenly  overcome  with  illness,  to 
rest  in  retirement.  They  are  not  intended  as  a  general 
loafing  space  nor  are  women  to  be  permitted  to  go  out  at 
any  periodic  time  to  the  restroom  for  the  purpose  of  loafing. 
If  a  woman  is  out  of  work  she  is  to  remain  at  her  machine 
or  in  the  department,  being,  of  course,  allowed  to  sit  down 
if  her  work  requires  her  to  stand;  but  she  is  not  to  be  rung 
out  on  idle  time  and  sent  to  the  restroom.  It  should  be 
thoroughly  understood  that  the  restroom  is  provided  for  the 
ill  only  and  if  a  woman  does  not  recover  within  a  reasonable 
length  of  time,  the  hospital  is  to  be  notified  and  the  woman 
removed  to  her  home.  Lunching  is  not  to  be  permitted  in  the 
restroom. 

The  last  remark  of  the  quotation  above,  that  lunching  is 
not  to  be  allowed  in  the  restroom,  is  significant  of  the  purpose 
and  atmosphere  of  the  room.  There  must  be  no  disturbing 
element  in  it,  nothing  to  distract  or  arouse  the  person  who 
is  trying  to  secure  relaxation,  and  nothing  to  make  conversa- 


WORK   OF   PLANT   HEALTH   DEPARTMENT  205 

tion  necessary.  A  nurse  may  be  in  attendance,  but  mainly 
to  see  that  complete  rest  is  secured.  Couches  or  cot  beds 
and  easy  chairs  should  be  provided,  with  no  superfluous  article 
of  any  kind.  The  walls  of  the  room  should  be  of  a  neutral, 
restful  tint.  Ample  light  and  air  should  be  provided,  with 
window  shades  to  soften  and  lessen  the  light  in  case  of  need. 
It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  add  that  the  room  must  be  so 
situated  as  to  provide  absolute  quiet,  or  have  sound-proof 
walls  and  doors  if  near  the  workrooms  of  the  factory. 

The  telephone  companies  throughout  the  country  have  at- 
tractively furnished  restrooms  which  the  employees  may  make 
use  of  during  regular  rest  periods  in  the  morning  and  after- 
noon. At  the  New  York  Edison  Company  the  operators  in 
the  Contract  and  Inspection  Department  have  15  minutes  be- 
tween 10  and  ii  A.M.  and  3  and  4  P.M.  for  quiet  recreation  in 
the  restroom. 

The  Curtis  Publishing  Company  has  several  beautiful  rest- 
rooms  for  employees.  This  is  also  the  case  with  the  National 
Cash  Register  Company. 

Health  Campaigns 

It  is  incumbent  on  all  industrial  establishments  of  magni- 
tude to  see  to  it  that  all  employees  understand  as  much  as 
possible  of  local  health  regulations,  state  factory  legislation, 
and  the  general  laws  of  hygiene.  Employees  must  be  made 
to  know  the  value  of  personal  cleanliness  and  the  danger  of 
the  spread  of  disease  when  many  people  are  crowded  together 
through  the  working  day.  They  must  be  conscious,  while  at 
work,  of  the  special  dangers  incident  to  their  employment. 

For  these  purposes  definite  campaigns  need  to  be  carried 
on  in  industrial  plants  or  businesses  which  employ  many  per- 
sons. In  these  campaigns,  lectures  may  be  given  to  company 
employees  by  plant  physicians,  nurses,  or  by  other  persons 
secured  for  the  purpose.  Courses  of  reading  may  be  sug- 


206  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

gested  or  provided.  Health  bulletins  and  leaflets,  which  are 
of  great  value  in  giving  important  scientific  facts  in  simple 
form,  may  be  printed  and  circulated  among  employees. 

Training  in  First  Aid 

"First  aid,"  says  Dr.  Selby,  "in  the  sense  that  temporary 
treatment  is  given  by  more  or  less  trained  fellow-workmen, 
is  a  thing  of  the  past,  unless  circumstances  are  such  that 
skilled  attention  is  not  readily  available."  The  usual  argument 
against  first  aid  is  that  many  workmen  think  that  for  the 
treatment  of  small  injuries  nothing  more  is  necessary.  Thus 
they  incur  the  danger  of  infection  by  not  having  full  treatment 
in  a  dispensary.  Yet  first  aid  is  essential  even  in  large  estab- 
lishments, when  some  time  must  elapse  before  persons  who 
receive  accidental  injuries  or  have  sudden  attacks  of  illness 
can  be  taken  to  the  plant  dispensary  or  local  hospital.  For 
instance,  the  Bethlehem  Steel  Company  trains  some  of  its 
workmen  to  apply  protective  dressings  and  transport  injured 
men  to  dressing  stations.  The  Westinghouse  Electric  and 
Manufacturing  Company  trains  men  to  administer  artificial 
respiration  by  the  prone-pressure  method.  The  nurses  of 
Sears,  Roebuck  and  Company,  answer  emergency  calls  and 
carry  first-aid  kits  with  them.  Health  lectures  usually  include 
instructions  for  action  in  first  aid. 

Physical  Training 

In  establishments  where  employees  do  not  get  enough 
exercise,  or  the  right  kind  of  exercise,  physical  training  is  often 
provided. 

The  White  Company,  Cleveland,  requires  all  those  em- 
ployed in  responsible  positions  to  take  one  hour  of  physical 
exercise  daily  in  the  company  gymnasium  on  company  time. 
Physical  training  is  compulsory  in  some  English  factories 
where  women  are  employed. 


WORK    OF    PLANT   HEALTH    DEPARTMENT  207 

Trained  instructors  are  usually  secured.  Where  it  is  found 
too  expensive  to  employ  a  person  on  full  time  to  direct 
physical  training  in  a  plant,  it  would  be  a  simple  matter  to 
make  a  co-operative  arrangement  with  other  concerns  in  the 
community  for  the  services  of  an  instructor.  The  work  may 
be  done  in  connection  with  the  health  department  or  with 
the  general  service  or  clubhouse  work. 

Each  employee  should  be  examined  by  the  plant  physician, 
or  by  a  competent  medical  advisor  before  entering  on  a  course 
of  training,  so  that  his  special  physical  needs  may  be  met. 

Shower  Baths 

Physical  training  necessitates  the  shower  bath,  which  may 
be  located  either  in  the  health  clinic  or  in  a  separate  clubhouse. 
Employees  are  taught  its  use  and  value.  A  large  number 
of  concerns  supply  these  baths  to  employees,  particularly  where 
the  work  is  hot  and  dusty. 

Co-operation  with  Community  Organizations 

The  employer  must  supplement  the  health  activities  of  his 
community.  He  must  also  work  in  close  co-operation  with 
all  local  health  organizations.  He  may  secure  their  assistance 
in  a  factory  health  campaign  by  obtaining  from  them  informa- 
tion and  aid  in  establishing  and  outfitting  his  dispensary. 


CHAPTER  XV 

• 

THE  WORKER  AT  PLAY— THE  NEED  FOR 
RECREATION 

Efficiency  Requires  a  Change  of  Occupation 

Recreation  is  something  more  than  play.  It  is  an  effective 
change  of  occupation.  Modern  industry  requires  for  full 
productive  efficiency  some  regular  provision  for  workers  to 
give  their  bodies  and  minds  a  chance  to  re-create  both  spirit 
and  energy.  Good  management  has  long  recognized  this  need ; 
but  the  studies  in  recent  years  of  engineers,  industrial  physi- 
cians, and  production  specialists  have  re-enforced  from  the 
scientific  side  the  insights  of  observant  managers. 

\?lay,  then,  and  the  larger  function  of  recreation,  may  be 
said  to  have  a  real  economic  basis.  The  lack  of  it  in  any 
large  organization  of  people  reflects  automatically  in  relation- 
ships and  in  output.  Science  has  pointed  out  that  the  muscular 
system  of  the  human  body  is  the  mainspring  of  health,  con- 
tentment, happiness,  and  outlook.  Behavior  itself  is  largely 
a  product  in  the  average  human  being  of  the  general  physical 
functioning^ 

Need  for  Recreation 

Modern  living  conditions  and  the  usual  work  operations, 
as  contrasted  with  farm  life  and  work  in  the  open,  require 
correctives  to  make  up  for  occupations  which  call  but  few 
muscles  into  play,  give  heart  and  lungs  but  meager  exercise, 
involve  much  sedentary  employment,  and  offer  hardly  any 
opportunity  for  all-round  physical  activity.  Recreation  sup- 
plies not  only  the  necessary  physical  correctives — it  does  more. 

208 


THE    WORKER   AT    PLAY THE    NEED  209 

It  gives  the  social  side  of  every  person  a  chance  for  action. 
An  adult  requires  that  quite  as  much  as  does  the  child. 

CMoreover,  when  the  social  instinct  is  given  organized  ex- 
pression it  has  values  other  than  physical.  Teamwork  is  whole- 
some character  building,  and  observing  the  "rules  of  the 
game"  is  an  object  lesson  in  honesty.  Taking  an  active  part 
in  an  interesting  project  does  away  with  inertia  and  self-deceit. 
The  best  education  in  life  always  comes  from  doing  things, 
not  from  reading  about  them ;  and  the  best  character  training 
comes  from  co-operating  with  others  in  securing  desirable 
results.  So  from  the  viewpoint  of  health,  of  good  citizenship, 
and  of  industrial  efficiency,  organized  recreation  has  a  distinct 
place  in  sound  management  plans.  ^ 

Recreation  and  Working  Power 

Take  the  testimony  as  regards  the  relation  of  recreation 
to  working  power  as  given  by  one  of  the  leading  medical  ex- 
perts of  the  country,  Dr.  Frederic  S.  Lee  of  Columbia  Univer- 
sity: 

There  is  one  feature  of  labor  which  I  believe  to  be  one 
of  the  most  potent  and  most  universal  foes  to  efficiency. 
Natural  working  power  varies  infinitely  in  individuals,  and 
yet  no  one  will,  I  think,  dispute  the  statement  that  few 
persons  work  up  to  their  individual  capacities.  Professor 
William  James,  clear-sighted  observer  and  keen  thinker,  once 
said:  "As  a  rule,  men  habitually  use  only  a  small  part  of 
the  powers  which  they  actually  possess  and  which  they  might 
use  under  appropriate  conditions."  This  general  human 
tendency  is  found  also  among  industrial  workers.  It  is 
even  traditional  with  many  and  a  thing  to  be  encouraged, 
especially  with  those  who  have  worked  for  years  and  have 
become  accustomed  to  the  traditional  ways  of  labor.  It  is 
sometimes  called,  in  this  country,  "soldiering,"  and  in  Great 
Britain,  "ca'canny."  It  may  be  a  conscious,  wilful  pro- 
cedure, or  it  may  be  partly  or  even  wholly  unconscious. 
Many  honest  workers  will  tell  you  that  it  is  deliberate.  It 
is  sometimes  ascribed  to  labor  unions  as  a  deliberate  policy, 


210  LABOR  MAINTENANCE 

but  it  is  found  among  non-union  workers  as  well.  The 
American  investigators  have  found  that  it  occurs  very  com- 
monly in  the  form  of  what  they  have  called  "stereotyping 
of  output/'  that  is,  a  form  of  output  in  which  the  same 
individual  or  a  group  of  individuals  will  turn  out,  day 
after  day,  and  week  after  week,  practically  the  same  quantity 
of  finished  product.  In  one  munition  factory  engaged  in  the 
manufacture  of  fuses,  a  large  proportion  of  the  force  was 
thus  working.  In  forming  at  a  capstan  lathe  the  large  end 
of  the  fuse,  one  man  finished  exactly  1,000  pieces  on  each 
of  44  nights  out  of  45  that  were  observed;  in  gauging  the 
fuses,  5  girls  out  of  6  that  were  studied  for  one  week 
examined  1,315  fuses  each  day;  in  99  cases  of  drilling  cer- 
tain holes,  out  of  163  observations  extending  over  17  days, 
1,300  fuses  were  drilled  by  each  battery  of  two  operatives 
in  each  spell,  and  2,600  in  each  day;  and  in  another  drilling 
operation  the  output  of  each  of  16  different  workers,  night 
after  night,  for  one  week  was  3,600,  no  more  and  no  less. 
If  work  were  stopped  for  a  brief  period  for  reasons  beyond 
the  power  of  the  work  to  control,  such  as  the  temporary 
crippling  of  a  machine,  the  stoppage  was  likely  to  be  followed 
by  a  spurt,  and,  without  overworking  his  powers,  the  worker 
finished  the  day  with  the  usual  production  to  his  credit. 

Some  Primary  Considerations 

There  are  a  few  practical  considerations  which  must  be 
dealt  with  before  taking  up  a  description  of  various  types  of 
workers'  recreation  activities. 

In  the  first  place,  there  arises  the  question:  Does  industry 
have  to  concern  itself  with  a  matter  such  as  this?  Does  not 
activity  of  this  kind  spell  paternalism,  something  which  all 
sensible  managers  certainly  wish  to  avoid? 

To  begin  with  the  first  question :  Industry  today  is  actually 
concerning  itself  with  the  recreation  problems  of  the  worker, 
as  this  chapter  will  show.  Casting  aside  all  theoretical  objec- 
tions, plant  after  plant  has  undertaken  a  program  of  organized 
and  well-supervised  recreation  with  results  that  set  all  doubts 
at  rest. 


THE   WORKER   AT   PLAY THE   NEED  211 

Organized  Play  Is  Sound  Business 

Under  ideal  conditions  of  employment  it  is  possible  for 
a  working  force  to  finish  the  day's  work  and  then  proceed 
to  some  wholesome  recreation  center  where  proper  opportunity 
is  provided  for  play  and  recuperation.  When  such  conditions 
become  common,  it  may  be  that  industrial  plants  will  find 
less  to  do  in  this  direction.  But  not  even  then  will  the  problem 
have  been  solved.  Experience  has  shown  that  a  short  period 
of  rest,  change  of  occupation,  and  diversion  interspersed  in 
the  working  day  go  a  long  way.  The  tension  is  eased  up, 
a  freshening  of  energy  and  of  spirit  manifests  itself,  and  the 
common  form  of  recreation  within  the  plant  is  a  binding 
influence  unsurpassed  by  any  outside  activity  supplied  by  the 
community  at  large. 

<^<Yom  a  practical  point  of  view,  organized  play  in  connec- 
tion with  the  work  program  schedule  is  a  piece  of  sound  busi- 
ness economy.  Viewing  it  wholly  as  such,  there  can  be  no 
pretense  of  paternalism.  No  one  thinks  of  good  ventilation, 
proper  lighting,  safeguarded  machinery,  clean  toilets,  and  ade- 
quate washing  facilities  as  examples  of  benevolence  and 
fatherly  interest.  These  items  measure  the  intelligence  of 
management.  In  the  same  way,  recreation  as  part  of  a  plant's 
service  schedule  may  well  be  regarded  as  an  instance  of  vision 
applied  to  the  problem  of  production  under  right  conditions. 
There  are  difficulties,  of  course,  in  such  application.  First  of 
all,  the  nature  of  the  operations  may  be  such  as  to  make 
impossible  any  interruption'  of  an  external  nature.  Few  plants 
have  the  physical  facilities  for  work  of  this  kind.  As  a  rule 
only  thoroughly  up-to-date  buildings  and  grounds  will  permit 
of  any  such  activities.  But  that  does  not  dispose  of  the 
matter,  because  some  of  the  most  effective  work  in  this  direc- 
tion has  been  undertaken  in  what  seemed  to  be  most  unpromis- 
ing locationsX 


212  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

Self-Directed  Recreation  Best 

The  lesson  comes  home  continually  that  self -initiated  and 
self -conducted  activities  on  the  part  of  people  usually  fare 
best  and  last  the  longest.  This  is  true  of  recreation  work. 
Play  is  a  natural  instinct.  Generally  it  wants  only  incentive 
and  opportunity.  There  are  some,  to  be  sure,  whose  desire 
for  play  and  recreation  seems  to  have  been  forgotten,  as  if 
they  had  never  had  a  childhood.  Here  is  an  opportunity  for 
real  service.  That  is  why  a  trained  leader  of  recreation  is 
always  an  asset.  But  this  leader's  part  need  never  be  an 
aggressive  or  conspicuous  one;  it  is  enough  that  he  or  she  is 
on  the  job. 

Again  and  again  the  point  must  be  emphasized  that  in  all 
plant  activities  which  are  outside  the  direct  field  of  production, 
self-direction  on  the  part  of  employees  should  be  encouraged, 
and  made  a  regular  feature  of  the  program.  That,  of  course, 
is  easily  accepted  with  respect  to  such  familiar  recreation  enter- 
prises as  baseball  teams,  or  field  sports.  Athletic  events  are 
quite  commonly  the  result  of  initiative  on  the  part  of  some 
energetic  individuals  among  the  workers.  But  the  point  is 
that  there  is  a  vast  unused  fund  of  energy  and  enterprise  for 
recreation  purposes  which  many  an  organization  fails  to  utilize, 
because  a  habit  has  been  formed  of  expecting  initiative  from 
the  top  instead  of  from  the  rank  and  file. 

S^Jow  there  is  only  one  way  to  overcome  a  stagnant  situa- 
tion such  as  this,  and  that  way  is  to  make  prompt  provision 
for  employee  co-operation  in  recreation  work.  Such  co-opera- 
tion means  turning  invaluable  assets  into  the  social  life  and 
activities  of  the  plant. 

Freedom  in  Recreation 

In  this  chapter  stress  has  been  laid  on  the  importance  of 
recreation  that  is  organized  and  supervised.  There  can  be 
no  question  that  these  elements  must  be  regarded  if  recreation 


THE   WORKER  AT   PLAY — THE   NEED  213 

work  is  to  accomplish  the  good  that  it  can  do.  But  it  will 
be  profitable  to  consider  just  what  the  nature  of  the  organiza- 
tion and  supervision  should  be.  First  of  all  let  us  consider 
what  it  should  not  be. 

Obviously,  freedom  is  the  big  element  in  play — the  sense 
of  action  without  constraint  of  any  kind.  Good  play  teaches 
by  its  very  nature  the  wisdom  of  not  interfering  with  others. 
That  is  what  rules  imply.  The  very  essence  of  genuine  relaxa- 
tion is  maximum  opportunity  for  the  senses  and  the  instinct 
to  follow  their  own  whims.  Officiousness  on  the  part  of  plant 
executives,  however  legitimate  their  zeal,  is  wholly  out  of 
place.  The  fewer  external  restraints  the  better.  Plant  dis- 
cipline in  the  matter  of  recreation  must  work  by  methods  of 
indirection.  It  cannot  be  imposed,. as  too  frequently  is  the  case 
witja  shop  discipline. 

(The  play  supervision  should  never  be  aggressive,  assertive, 
or  teacher-like.  The  psychologist  has  denned  play  as  that 
group  of  activities  which  are  not  consciously  performed  for 
the  sake  of  any  result  beyond  themselves.  Enjoyment  flows 
from  such  activities  because  they  are  executed  without  refer- 
ence to  any  ulterior  ends  or  purposes.  The  moral  is  clear  that 
the  injection  of  any  such  ulterior  purpose  in  any  recreation 
project  will  put  an  end  to  it. 

The  stimulus  that  the  group  supplies  is  better  than  that 
of  the  supervisor,  although  there  may  be  ample  occasion  for 
that  of  the  latter.  Many  an  adult  has  too  often  forgotten, 
if  indeed  he  has  ever  really  known,  how  to  join  in  games  and 
sports.  Love  of  outdoor  pastimes  is  a  distinguishing  trait  of 
the  English-speaking  race.  While  alien  groups  among  the 
factory  force  have  delightful  contributions  of  their  own  to 
make,  particularly  in  the  way  of  folk  dances,  songs,  and 
pageants,  they  have  much  to  learn  about  games  which  are  the 
common  inheritance  of  the  American  boy  raised  in  a  country 
town. 


214  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

The  Example  of  the  Cities 

The  present  generation  has  seen  a  change  in  public  opinion 
relative  to  the  need  of  play  spaces  and  organized  recreation 
to  offset  the  physical  deprivations  connected  with  city  life. 
Moreover,  the  shortening  of  the  work  day  has  opened  up 
the  subject  of  providing,  for  the  leisure  time  of  workers,  up- 
building influences  to  nullify  destructive  influences  lying  in 
wait  for  idle  hands  and  brain. 

So  within  twenty-five  years  cities  have  taken  pride  in 
tearing  down  congested  tenements  and  utilizing  their  sites  for 
parks,  playgrounds,  recreation  buildings,  and  gymnasiums. 
Public  schools  have  shown  this  awakening  to  the  need  of  look- 
ing after  the  physical  fitness  of  our  citizenship  most  strikingly; 
while  here  and  there  an  employer  of  exceptional  insight  has 
made  his  own  provision  for  the  play  activities  of  the  worker. 

The  results  have  been  remarkable.  Public  recreation  has 
reduced  juvenile  crime,  so  called,  which  too  often  was  merely 
a  blowing  off  of  steam  in  the  wrong  place  and  at  somebody 
else's  expense;  there  has  been  a  falling  off  of  tragic  street 
accidents  to  children;  and  there  has  been  an  improvement  in 
feeling  among  different  racial  groups  in  cosmopolitan  com- 
munities, and  a  quickening  of  mental  power.  These  same 
benefits  have  shown  among  adults  as  well. 

Recognition  of  Benefits  of  Recreation 

With  the  growth  of  public  interest  in  recreation,  and  with 
universal  approval,  there  has  grown  a  recognition  of  the  posi- 
tive civic  and  economic  value  of  recreation  programs  under 
the  direction  of  competent  persons.  For  the  first  time  in 
history,  training  classes  have  been  established  for  equipping 
such  directors  with  the  knowledge  of  the  best  methods  and 
experiences  in  this  type  of  work.  Its  literature  is  so  volumin- 
ous as  to  amaze  anyone  who  has  not  given  the  matter  special 
attention.  There  is  now  a  large  class  of  professional  and 


THE   WORKER  AT   PLAY — THE   NEED  215 

highly  skilled  specialists  in  the  field  of  recreation,  as  there  are 
in  many  other  departments  of  organized  human  activity. 
Standards  for  recreation  work  exist  today  as  they  did  not 
a  generation  ago.  Perhaps  they  were  not  needed  then;  today 
they  are. 

It  is  the  business  of  a  recreation  director  in  a  plant  to 
make  use  of  the  lessons,  learned  in  the  course  of  many  years' 
trial  by  a  large  number  of  people  active  in  modern  supervised 
play.  C  A  plant  which  prides  itself  on  modern  equipment  and 
production  methods  should  be  able  to  pride  itself  as  well  on 
its  contribution  to  the  leisure  activities  of  its  working  body. 
Where  this  has  been  done  on  a  satisfactory  scale,  we  find 
not  only  the  right  sort  of  leader  in  charge  of  the  work,  but 
in  addition  the  plant  nurse  and  the  plant  physician  holding 
an  important  place  as  advisors  and  collaborators  in  the  carry- 
ing out  of  the  program. 

Employee   Management   of   Recreation 

Whether  the  recreation  enterprise  be  of  the  indoor  or  of 
the  outdoor  type,  or  a  combination  of  both,  as  it  really  should 
be,  the  plans  and  the  execution  of  their  details  should  allow 
of  active  participation  in  management  by  employees  selected 
for  the  purpose.  A  recreation  program  should  never  be 
handed  down  from  above.  It  should  always  be  of  tentative 
character  depending  for  its  completion  upon  the  wishes  and 
suggestions  of  those  who  are  to  benefit  by  it.  Serious  mistakes 
have  been  made  where  this  principle  has  been  overlooked^ 
Responsibility  for  untoward  results  should  be  laid  to  those 
who  overlook  abundant  experience  and  guidance  that  might 
have  helped. 

^Where  an  office  is  set  apart  for  the  work  of  the  recreation 
program,  care  should  be  taken  that  a  collection  is  started  of 
all  worth-while  things  that  have  been  printed  on  the  subject. 
Books  and  magazine  articles  about  games,  pictures,  and  models 


2l6  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

of  apparatus  used  for  sports  should  be  prominently  displayed 
where  all  may  see  them.  The  plant  library  should  make  it  a 
point  to  circulate  books  on  games  and  sports,  and  keep  for 
ready  reference  a  number  of  good  outdoor-life  magazines  and 
publications.  The  more  intelligently  this  kind  of  work  is  done 
the  more  effective  will  be  the  results  among  the  people  through- 
out the  organization.^) 

The  Democracy  of  Play 

What  has  thus  far  been  said  should  not  convey  the  impres- 
sion that  recreation  work  is  something  to  be  confined  exclu- 
sively to  the  rank  and  file.<^Play  is  a  great  leveler  of  the  right 
sort.  Recreation  is  the  maker  of  friendships  and  good- will 
among  all  those  who  share  it  in  worthy  fashion.  At  this 
period  there  is  no  great  nor  small.  President  and  sweeper  are 
common  fellows  when  the  play  is  on.  The  observers  count 
for  less  than  the  participants.  Exhibitions  and  performances 
in  which  the  few  take  part  have  their  place,  of  course,  but 
that  program  is  best  in  which  all  can  have  a  place  and  a  part. 
There  should  be  no  room  for  favorites;  here  all  are  needed 
and  wanted — particularly  those  who  are  shy  or  reluctant,  and 
feel  out  of  place.  The  utmost  consideration  should  be  exer- 
cised toward  such  as  these.  It  is  far  better  to  get  a  handful 
of  people  who  feel  themselves  out  of  it,  to  join  in  the  spirit 
of  play  program,  than  it  is  to  develop  and  encourage  a 
champion^ 

The  prize  performer  has  his  place;  the  natural  leader  is 
always  an  asset  if  his  preeminence  does  not  smother  and  dis- 
courage the  more  modest  efforts  of  others;. but  the  "greatest 
good  of  the  greatest  number"  is  the  only  safe  rule  and  policy 
in  every  program  of  plant  recreation. 

A  good  measure  of  the  success  of  any  such  program  is 
not  how  many  stars  have  been  made  to  shine,  how  many  prizes 
captured — though  nobody  will  belittle  the  satisfaction  in  such 


THE    WORKER   AT    PLAY THE    NEED  217 

achievement — but  how  large  a  percentage  of  the  total  organiza- 
tion has  been  stimulated  to  join  in.  The  degree  of  absen- 
teeism here  is  the  final  test;  and  the  reduction  of  the  number 
of  those  who  have  no  share  in  the  activities  is  the  ultimate 
goal  and  measure  of  accomplishment. 

From  a  superficial  viewpoint  the  results  may  not  be  so 
dramatic;  from  the  viewpoint  of  the  organization  as  a  whole, 
no  other  policy  will  carry  forward  the  true  aims  of  recreation 
work.  One  hundred  per  cent  is  a  good  slogan  for  this  work. 
No  one,  unless  so  advised  by  medical  authority,  should  be 
left  out.  (groups  may  well  be  subdivided  for  one  activity  or 
another,  but  100  per  cent  participation  is  the  aim  of  all  plant 
programs  for  recreation^ 

The  Alien  in  Recreation 

Reference  has  been  already  made  to  the  contributions  that 
the  alien  can  make  to  a  program  of  play  and  common  enjoy- 
ments. It  is  often  noticeable  that  games,  like  languages,  are 
something  that  need  to  be  acquired,  and  the  methods  of  acquir- 
ing them  have  to  be  planned  with  intelligence.  The  teacher 
of  English  does  not  start  by  ridiculing  the  mother  tongue  of 
the  alien  who  is  to  be  taught.  In  the  recreation  room  and 
on  the  playground  the  same  tact  needs  to  be  employed.  Plays 
and  exercises  traditional  with  the  alien  have  often  been  sub- 
jected to  disheartening  ridicule,  with  the  result  of  driving  him 
away  from  play  activities. 

He  gets  the  "burnt-finger"  attitude.  Such  disaffection  is 
a  loss  to  the  organization  and  a  handicap  to  right  relations. 
The  alien  is  sensitive  about  his  customs  and  native  mode  of 
self-expression,  as  we  should  be  in  the  same  situation.  Fre- 
quently we  are  not  as  sensitive  as  we  should  be  to  his  sensitive- 
ness. Wise  recreation  leadership  will  see  to  it  that  not  only 
does  each  member  of  the  organization  find  a  place  in  the 
activities  going  forward,  but  can  do  so  without  loss  of  self- 


2l8  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

respect  or  danger  of  humiliation.  Perhaps  cosmopolitan 
recreation  of  this  kind  is  as  good  a  start  for  the  right  sort  of 
Americanization  for  both  native  and  alien  as  can  be  found. 

The  Advantages  of  Athletics 

Play,  or  recreation,  has  a  great  many  ramifications;  and 
has  within  its  limits  two  such  apparently  widely  removed 
things  as  football,  and  singing.  When  we  speak  of  recreation 
then,  we  are  shooting  at  a  very  broad  target.  From  this  point 
on,  therefore,  we  shall  consider  various  forms  of  recreation, 
examining  4he  advantages  that  result  to  workers  from  their 
practice. 

The  value  of  athletics  is  commonly  known.  We  know  that 
athletics  teach  self-discipline,  and  promote  fair  play  and  good 
sportsmanship ;  that  they  develop  a  healthy  mind  in  a  healthy 
body;  and  that  they  build  up  a  spirit  of  co-operation  and 
teamwork. 

Nit  should  not  be  hard  to  see  why  athletics  will  build  up 
a  spirit  of  co-operation  and  teamwork.  Organized  athletic 
activity,  whether  it  is  baseball,  basket-ball,  or  some  other  game, 
appeals  to  what  Joseph  Lee  calls  the  "belonging  instinct," 
often  called  the  "gang  instinct."  This  instinct — call  it  what 
you  please — properly  cultivated  and  guided  into  the  right 
channels,  is  a  force  for  good;  if  it  is  neglected,  it  may  be 
destructive.) 

In  any  game  requiring  teamwork  the  individual  merges 
his  individuality  into  that  of  the  group,  at  the  same  time 
preserving  his  own  responsibility  for  the  definite  performance 
of  a  special  function  in  that  group.  That  is  precisely  the  idea 
which  needs  to  be  cultivated  in  industry.  Training  in  team- 
work is  training  in  industrial  success.  A  team  is  governed 
from  within;  it  is  cemented  together  by  the  team  sense  of  its 
constituent  members.  Similarly,  an  industrial  corporation  is 
a  unit  only  when  its  members  are  held  together,  not  by  force 


THE   WORKER  AT   PLAY — THE   NEED  219 

or  necessity,  but  by  a  common  spirit  of  loyalty,  a  common 
object,  a  "morale/'  such  as  exists  in  the  army. 

Motion  Pictures 

A  great  many  firms  use  the  motion  picture  as  a  method  of 
entertainment  and  education.  The  motion  picture  is  extremely 
useful  in  both  these  ways.  Some  firms  use  it  to  make  more 
general  among  employees  and  the  public,  a  knowledge  of  the 
company's  products  and  the  processes  in  its  manufacture. 
Other  firms  hire  films  to  show  their  employees  on  certain 
evenings  of  the  week.  It  is  very  likely  that  this  form  of 
recreation  and  instruction  will  become  more  general  in  future. 

Restrooms — Example  of  Eastern  Manufacturing  Company 

The  restroom  is  another  phase — and  a  very  good  one — 
of  recreation.  An  excellent  example  of  restrooms  as  a  provi- 
sion for  recreation  for  employees  is  that  furnished  by  the 
Eastern  Manufacturing  Company  of  Brewer,  Maine. 

That  company  has  provided  two  restrooms — one  for  men, 
and  the  other  for  women.  The  restroom  of  the  men  has 
substantial  furniture  and  gives  opportunity  for  lounging  and 
smoking.  The  women's  restroom  is  furnished  with  wicker 
chairs  upholstered  with  bright  patterns  to  add  to  the  cheerful 
appearance  of  the  room. 

Clubhouses— Work  in  Mining  Camps  and  Steel  Plants 

Clubhouses  make  possible  another  form  of  employee 
recreation.  In  the  mining  camps  and  steel  plants,  where  the 
problem  of  recreation  is  especially  difficult,  a  good  many  of 
the  companies  have  provided  commodious  and  well-equipped 
clubhouses.  The  fe'atures  of  these  houses  are  dormitories, 
reading-room  and  library,  gymnasium  and  swimming  pool, 
baths  (tub  and  shower),  auditorium  and  dance  hall,  billiard 


220  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

and  poolrooms,  bowling  alleys,  and  basket-ball  halls.  The 
subsidiary  companies  pay  all  taxes  and  insurance,  and  furnish 
heat.  All  other  expenses  are  borne  by  the  club  members, 
but  the  initiation  fee  and  monthly  dues  are  very  small — 
sometimes,  indeed,  they  are  fixed  in  proportion  to  wages. 

Recreational  Possibilities  of  the  Clubhouse 

The  clubhouse  is  one  of  the  best  possible  sources  of  recrea- 
tion. It  lends  itself  to  entertainment  in  a  remarkable  number 
of  forms.  In  a  modern  clubhouse  it  is  possible  to  dine;  to 
attend  a  musical  entertainment,  a  smoker,  or  a  dance ;  to  watch 
or  to  play  a  game  of  basket-ball  or  indoor  baseball;  to  swim, 
to  run,  to  bowl,  or  play  pool  or  billiards;  or  to  gather  round 
a  piano  and  sing. 

In  addition  to  all  these  things,  a  clubhouse  will  often  have 
adjoining  it  a  large  athletic  field  with  tennis  courts,  baseball 
diamonds,  football  grounds,  and  a  cinder  track. 

the  Company  Park 

One  company,  the  Eastman  Kodak  Company  of  Rochester, 
New  York,  has  laid  out  a  park  of  thirteen  acres,  intersected 
by  pleasant  walks,  with  carefully  tended  lawns,  flower  beds, 
and  clumps  of  shrubbery — thus  providing  an  ideal  place  for 
the  employee  to  rest  and  relax  during  the  noon  period,  and 
after  business  hours. 

The  Country  Club 

Related  to  the  clubhouse,  yet  not  wholly  like  it  either 
in  conception  or  operation,  is  the  country  club.  The  Curtis 
Publishing  Company  of  Philadelphia  has  a  country  club  con- 
ducted and  maintained  by  the  employees.  Any  employee  may 
join,  subject  to  the  approval  of  the  membership  committee. 
The  dues  are  nominal ;  but  owing  to  the  fact  that  the  majority 


THE   WORKER  AT   PLAY — THE   NEED  221 

of  the  employees  are  members  (there  are  a  great  number  of 
them),  the  aggregate  amount  collected  is  sufficient  to  pay 
expenses. 

The  club  conducts  its  activities  through  committees,  such 
as  the  sports  committee,  the  home  and  grounds  committee,  and 
the  educational  committee.  One  of  the  features  of  the  club 
is,  that  during  the  winter  the  educational  committee  holds 
classes  in  cultural  subjects. 

Music  as  Recreation 

In  its  universal  appeal  music  is  a  unique  form  of  recrea- 
tion. More  persons  are  capable  of  participating  in  a  musical 
entertainment  than  in  any  other  "form  of  group  activity,  and 
music  offers  a  means  for  self-expression  that  is  unequaled. 
As  a  factor  in  the  "morale"  of  a  group,  the  importance  of 
music  has  been  recognized  since  ancient  times.  One  has  but 
to  notice  the  effect  of  a  brass  band  upon  a  tired  and  foot-sore 
regiment  to  appreciate  the  wonderful  value  of  music.  Particu- 
larly where  a  group  presents  diversified  racial  elements,  is 
music  found  to  be  a  common  language  and  a  means  of  bringing 
these  elements  together  on  a  basis  of  sympathetic  understand- 
ing of  one  another.  Music  is  the  great  social  cement.  Music 
may  take  various  forms  in  an  industrial  concern.  Many  con- 
cerns have  choruses,  orchestras,  and  brass  bands,  as  well  as 
small  group  singers  or  instrumentalists. 


CHAPTER  XVI 

THE   WORKER   AT   PLAY— METHODS    OF 
RECREATION 

Scope  of  the  Chapter 

In  this  chapter  we  shall  set  forth  the  various  methods  by 
which  numerous  industrial  concerns  are  enabling  their  em- 
ployees to  obtain  real  rest  and  recreation,  and  a  complete 
change  of  environment  from  that  of  their  ordinary  occupation. 

The  Wagner  Electric  Manufacturing  Company 

The  Wagner  Electric  Manufacturing  Company  of  St. 
Louis,  for  example,  has  an  athletic  field  and  a  basket-ball  hall 
for  its  workers.  Employees  of  this  company  have  nine  base- 
ball teams,  eight  of  which  are  interdepartmental,  the  other 
representing  the  company  in  another  league.  Members  of 
the  winning  team  in  each  league  are  entitled  to  a  bronze, 
silver,  or  gold  watch-fob,  and  their  work  is  appreciated  by 
fellow-workers.  In  winter  the  athletic  field  is  lighted  at  night 
so  that  games  may  be  played.  Soccer  and  baseball  are  the 
most  popular  games  at  this  plant. 

The  company  shares  equally  with  employees  the  cost  of 
uniforms  and  the  other  expenses  of  the  athletic  work.  It 
does  this  because  it  believes  that  only  the  man  who  is  willing 
to  pay  some  money  is  willing  to  spend  the  necessary  time 
in  making  athletics  a  success. 

The  larger  teams  of  the  company  are  entered  in  the  Muni- 
cipal Association  of  the  city.  This  association,  not  the  com- 
pany, controls  the  teams  of  the  city.  Its  executive  board  is 
thoroughly  representative,  consisting  of  a  manufacturer,  a 

.  222 


THE   WORKER  AT   PLAY — METHODS  223 

priest,  a  minister,  a  delegate  from  the  Young  Men's  Hebrew 
Association,  another  from  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Asso- 
ciation, a  sporting  editor,  and  an  athletic  director.  The 
discipline  of  the  association  is  strict,  but  the  decisions  of  the 
board  have  never  been  questioned. 

Six  baseball  teams  are  organized  to  train  players  for  the 
star  team  of  the  association.  During  the  week  three  games 
are  held  in  the  evening,  and  a  regular  match  game  on  Saturday 
afternoon.  Basket-ball  is  organized  in  the  same  way. 

Any  employee  of  the  company  may  become  a  member  of 
the  athletic  association  by  paying  25  cents  a  month.  The 
employees  have  a  clubhouse  which  is  equipped  with  bowling 
alleys,  pool  and  billiard  tables,  a  basket-ball  floor,  lockers  and 
baths,  reading-rooms  and  cardrooms.  The  house  is  open  from 
6:30  in  the  morning  until  after  midnight. 

Boxing  matches  take  place  every  Thursday  evening 
throughout  the  winter,  the  champions  taking  part  in  the  spring 
tournament. 

A  field  day  is  held  once  a  year  at  which  prizes  are  given 
for  the  50-yard  dash,  the  zoo-yard  dash,  and  the  tug-of-war. 
Women  as  well  as  men  may  enter  these  contests.  This  field 
day  is  an  event  greatly  looked  forward  to. 

Interdepartment  Games 

At  the  Minnequa  Steel  Works  of  the  Colorado  Fuel  and 
Iron  Company,  there  is  a  league  of  several  teams,  representing 
the  various  departments,  which  play  regularly;  and  an  annual 
field  day  on  which  a  championship  baseball  game  between 
teams  of  different  counties  is  played.  The  grounds  and  grand- 
stand near  the  plant  are  provided  by  the  company.  This  firm 
has  also  established  playgrounds  for  children  under  super- 
vision of  an  instructor  whose  salary  it  pays. 

At  Sopris,  Colorado,  a  coal-mining  camp,  the  recreational 
work  is  under  the  supervision  of  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.,  which  has 


224  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

a  large  assembly  hall  and  rooms  for  bowling,  billiards,  reading, 
and  other  activities. 

The  United  States  Steel  Corporation 

The  United  States  Steel  Corporation  has  established  more 
than  125  children's  playgrounds.  Most  of  these  are  located 
on  the  unoccupied  land  near  the  plant,  or  mine,  and  are 
equipped  and  maintained  at  the  expense  of  the  company. 
The  company's  playgrounds  are  not  restricted  to  the  use  of 
the  children  of  the  employees,  but  are  open  to  all  children  of 
the  community.  At  some  of  the  plants  the  playgrounds  are 
located  within  the  enclosure  of  the  plants  or  works.  Com- 
petent instructors  employed  by  the  companies  are  ordinarily 
in  charge  of  the  grounds,  the  equipment  of  which  is  the  usual 
paraphernalia  found  in  city  playgrounds,  although  very  often 
additional  devices  have  been  installed,  such  as  swimming 
pools.  The  children  of  the  miners  and  workmen  generally 
avail  themselves  of  the  advantages  of  these  playgrounds. 

Many  of  the  subsidiary  companies  encourage  baseball 
among  their  employees.  Grounds  and  stands  have  been  pro- 
vided for  the  use  of  teams  composed  of  employees.  In  some 
of  the  companies,  teams  are  organized  at  the  various  plants  or 
mines,  according  to  the  national  baseball  rules,  and  these 
teams  play  regular  schedules.  The  president  of  one  of  the 
subsidiary  companies  donated  a  silver  cup  which  is  played  for 
from  year  to  year  by  the  teams  from  the  various  mines  of 
the  company.  The  teams  of  subsidiary  companies  also  play 
each  other,  as  well  as  organizations  of  outside  concerns.  These 
subsidiary  companies  have  provided  100  baseball  grounds  for 
the  use  of  their  employees. 

The  companies  do  everything  in  their  power  to  foster  this 
sport.  Committees  composed  of  employees  are  appointed  by 
the  management  to  supervise  the  games  and  arrange  the 
schedule,  although  it  would  be  much  better  if  these  committees 


THE   WORKER   AT   PLAY — METHODS  225 

were  selected  by  the  employees  themselves.  Besides  baseball, 
provision  is  made  for  other  outdoor  games,  such  as  tennis  or 
handball. 

The  Bush  Terminal 

The  Bush  Terminal,  Brooklyn,  New  York,  employs  about 
30,000  workers,  and  furnishes  them  many  opportunities  for 
recreation.  There  are  restrooms  for  men  and  women — that 
for  women  containing  a  piano,  with  a  large  space  for  dancing. 
There  are  facilities  for  bowling,  billiards,  basket-ball,  and 
various  gymnasium  sports  in  the  winter,  and  baseball,  tennis, 
and  water  sports  in  the  summer.  The  women  eagerly  take 
advantage  of  the  opportunities  for  tennis  and  basket-ball. 

The  Pennslvania  Railroad  System 

The  Pennsylvania  Railroad,  in  order  to  make  sure  that 
its  employees  will  have  sound  minds  and  healthy  bodies  (which 
they  must  have,  say  the  road's  officials,  to  insure  safe  and 
efficient  operation),  in  1915,  maintained  on  the  roads  east 
of  Pittsburgh  alone,  32  baseball  fields,  33  tennis  grounds,  7 
running  tracks,  and  I  golf  course  for  their  employees. 

A  field  day  is  held  once  a  year.  On  this  occasion  a  cup 
is  given  to  the  winning  athletic  team,  and  to  each  member 
of  the  winning  team  a  small  gold  medal  is  presented.  Nor 
are  the  efforts  of  the  company  confined  to  outdoor  sport. 
During  the  winter,  recreational  facilities  include  indoor  base- 
ball, indoor  track  events,  basket-ball,  bowling,  pool,  and  shuffle- 
board  tournaments. 

The  National  Cash  Register  Company 

The  National  Cash  Register  Company,  Dayton,  Ohio, 
provides  facilities  for  recreation  which  include  tennis  courts, 
a  golf  course,  dance  hall,  basket-ball  court,  quoits,  pool-tables, 


226  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

children's  play  apparatus,  baseball  diamonds,  and  other  ar- 
rangements. 

Sears,  Roebuck  and  Company 

At  Sears,  Roebuck  and  Company,  a  physical  director  and 
coach  is  in  charge  of  the  athletic  work.  Ball  grounds  and 
tennis  courts  are  provided  as  well  as  clubhouses  for  both  men 
and  women.  There  are  nineteen  baseball  teams,  all  playing 
regular  schedules.  In  the  summer  several  tennis  tournaments 
are  held.  The  season  ends  in  a  large  field  meet. 

The  Goodyear  Tire  and  Rubber  Company,  Akron,  Ohio, 
early  in  1917.  erected  a  hall  to  accommodate  the  social  and 
athletic  interests  of  employees.  This  hall  is  of  brick  and 
steel;  it  is  about  400  feet  long  by  170  feet  wide;  the  front 
is  four  stories  high ;  the  rear  is  two  stories  high.  The  building 
contains  a  gymnasium,  an  auditorium,  bowling  alleys,  handball 
courts,  showers,  reading  and  smoking  rooms,  and  other  con- 
veniences. 

Athletics  are  under  the  supervision  of  a  director  who 
co-operates  with  all  regularly  elected  team  officers.  In  1916, 
for  the  entertainment  of  the  entire  plant,  what  was  perhaps 
the  largest  athletic  meet  ever  staged  by  an  industrial  organiza- 
tion in  this  country  took  place.  Forty-three  separate  athletic 
events  were  scheduled.  These  included  boxing,  wrestling,  a 
baseball  game  between  the  factory  "All-Stars"  and  the  Boston 
branch,  races  of  all  kinds,  novelty  events,  tugs-of-war,  etc. 
All  expenses  were  borne  by  the  Goodyear  Company,  and,  in 
addition,  about  $1,700  worth  of  prizes  were  distributed. 

The  Curtis  Publishing  Company's  Country  Club 

In  the  preceding  chapter  (see  page  220)  we  mentioned 
the  country  club  of  the  Curtis  Publishing  Company  of  Phila- 
delphia. The  features  of  this  club  merit  further  enlargement 
here. 


THE   WORKER  AT   PLAY — METHODS  227 

Connected  with  this  country  club  are  an  outdoor  swim- 
ming pool,  two  baseball  diamonds,  where  teams  representing 
the  divisions  of  the  company  play  every  week-end  for  .the 
championship,  a  football  field,  a  quarter-mile  cinder  track  with 
a  200-yard  straight-away,  and  six  tennis  courts.  The  club 
exercises  an  excellent  influence  among  its  personnel,  and  aids 
the  company  in  maintaining  the  right  plant  spirit. 

The  boys  of  the  company,  about  one  hundred  of  them, 
are  organized  into  the  Curtis  Junior  Club  which  is  a  self- 
governing  organization.  Several  times  each  week  athletic 
drills  are  conducted  in  the  boys*  clubroom  under  the  direction 
of  an  athletic  coach  provided  by  the  company.  Basket-ball 
and  baseball  leagues,  comprising  teams  representing  the  vari- 
ous departments  and  divisions  of  the  company,  furnish  oppor- 
tunities for  spirited  contests.  The  basket-ball  games  are  played 
in  the  athletic  cage  on  the  roof  of  the  building,  or  in  a  nearby 
gymnasium. 

The  Brass  Band 

For  several  reasons  a  brass  band  is  one  of  the  best  forms 
of  musical  organization.  A  band  furnishes  for  both  players 
and  listeners  a  particularly  agreeable  form  of  recreation. 

The  tone  of  "brass"  carries  better  in  the  open  air  than  that 
of  other  instruments,  and  one  of  the  excellent  features  of  a 
brass  band  of  employees  is  the  open-air  performances  they 
can  give. 

The  impetus  toward  establishing  a  band  comes  best  from 
the  employees  themselves  rather  than  from  the  employer.  If 
the  employer  wishes  to  initiate  such  an  interest,  it  would  be 
well  for  him  to  consult  some  of  his  employees  and  consider 
the  matter  with  those  of  them  who  are  musical  or  who  can 
put  the  matter  properly  before  the  other  employees.  The 
latter  then  can  appoint  a  committee  to  discuss  further  details 
and  effect  an  organization. 


228  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

Generally  one  may  find  employees  who  can  play  an  instru- 
ment; but  if  not,  it  is  not  a  difficult  matter  to  teach  them 
how  to  play  if  a  competent  instructor  is  employed. 

Where  employers  feel  that  there  is  a  real  desire  on  the 
part  of  their  employees  to  organize  a  band,  they  often  will 
give  them  the  use  of  a  place  for  practice,  and  in  addition 
will  contribute  to  the  expense  of  instruments  and  uniforms. 

Operating  Expenses 

Generally  speaking,  however,  the  best  results  come  when 
the  operating  expenses  of  the  band  are  met  by  the  subscriptions 
of  members.  That  leads  to  a  desirable  feeling  of  personal 
ownership  and  responsibility.  It  is  not  a  bad  plan,  of  course, 
to  have  a  list  of  honorary  members  who  also  subscribe  and 
in  return  receive  certain  privileges,  such  as  reserved  seats  at 
concerts  and  so  on. 

The  greatest  expense  is  that  for  instruments.  Arrange- 
ments can  generally  be  made  with  dealers  whereby  the  instru- 
ments may  be  paid  for  on  the  instalment  plan  if  necessary. 
Some  firms  are  willing  to  advance  the  entire  sum  required  for 
the  purchase  of  instruments  on  this  basis.  As  for  uniforms, 
many  concerns  assume  the  entire  cost ;  in  others  the  employees 
themselves  give  special  entertainments  or  dances  to  raise  the 
necessary  money.  It  is  well  to  bear  in  mind  that  the  success 
of  the  band  will  largely  depend  upon  the  fact  that  the  instru- 
ments are  the  collective  and  not  the  individual  property  of 
the  members. 

If  possible  the  band  should  have  a  reserve  fund,  a  per- 
centage of  the  dues  being  used  to  build  up  this  fund.  Such 
a  fund  could  be  used  for  traveling  expenses  or  in  emergency. 
All  the  band's  property,  such  as  instruments,  music,  music- 
racks,  etc.,  should  be  vested  in  the  hands  of  trustees  (six 
has  been  found  to  be  a  good  number),  three  of  whom  should 
be  chosen  by  the  players  and  three  by  the  honorary  members. 


THE   WORKER   AT   PLAY — METHODS  229 

The  affairs  of  the  band,  arrangements  for  practice,  concerts, 
and  other  business  should  be  managed  by  a  committee  elected 
annually  at  a  general  election  of  all  players  and  subscribers. 

Organization  and  Practice 

As  to  practice,  a  steady  half-hour  devoted  to  this  daily 
at  noon  hour  or  after  working  hours  is  of  more  value  than 
longer  periods  at  less  frequent  intervals.  Those  who  need 
special  practice  should  be  rehearsed  separately  or  be  allowed 
to  take  their  instruments  home  for  the  purpose. 

Among  the  firms  that  have  been  successful  with  bands 
may  be  mentioned  the  Waltham  Watch  Company,  the  North- 
western Steel  Company,  Portland,  Oregon,  which  last  year  gave 
lunch-hour  concerts  twice  weekly,  on  Monday  noons  for  the 
day  shift,  and  on  Friday  evenings  for  the  first  night  shift; 
the  Minnequa  Steel  Works,  the  Bethlehem  Steel  Corporation 
subsidiaries,  the  Commonwealth  Steel  Company,  United  Shoe 
Machinery  Company,  and  a  host  of  others.  The  Lake  Torpedo 
Boat  Company  Marine  Band,  as  organized,  consists  of  six 
trombones,  four  cornets,  four  clarinets,  one  piccolo,  three 
brass  horns,  two  baritone  players,  three  alto  horns,  four  drums. 
While  this  is  not  an  ideal  arrangement,  it  is  suggestive  for 
others. 

The  Ford  Motor  Company  in  1910  organized  a  band  of 
55  pieces.  All  the  members  of  the  band,  including  the  director, 
are  employees  of  the  company.  It  is  interesting  to  note  the 
large  number  of  occupations  represented  in  this  organization, 
as  by  far  the  largest  number  of  the  members  are  employed 
in  the  shops  as  machine  operators,  bench  men,  factory  clerks, 
tool-makers,  pattern-makers,  and  foremen. 

Each  year  the  company  arranges  a  series  of  concerts  in 
an  auditorium  which  it  provides,  so  that  the  entire  Ford 
organization  may  have  the  pleasure  of  hearing  high-class  and 
light  music  at  no  cost  to  themselves,  all  the  expense  of  the 


230  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

band  being  borne  by  the  company.  Fifteen  nationalities  are 
represented  in  the  band. 

The  band  of  the  Eastern  Manufacturing  Company  is  made 
up  of  26  pieces.  The  instruments  are  either  the  property  of 
the  men  or  are  bought  by  the  association  and  loaned  to  new 
members.  The  town  of  Easton  last  year  contributed  $150 
to,  the  band,  as  a  mark  of  the  appreciation  of  the  community. 
A  small  orchestra  of  10  pieces  also  gives  concerts  and  plays 
for  dances. 

At  the  New  Jersey  Zinc  Company,  there  are  three  bands, 
a  town  band  made  up  of  workers  at  the  plant,  a  Slavic  band, 
and  a  Hungarian  band.  The  town  of  Palmertown,  Pennsyl- 
vania, is  so  much  interested  in  employees'  bands  that  it  has 
contributed  funds  for  the  erection  of  a  new  bandstand  where 
public  concerts  are  given  once  a  week. 

The  Ellsworth  Collieries  Company  at  Ellsworth,  Pennsyl- 
vania, has  organized  two  boys'  bands  and  two  bands  for 
adults.  On  special  occasions  the  bands  of  the  boys  and  adults 
are  combined.  In  addition  to  these  bands  the  company  has 
a  Russian  Glee  Club  of  16  members  who  have  done  splendid 
work  on  many  occasions.  There  is  also  a  Croatian  orchestra. 

Other  Musical  Activities — Their  Influence  upon  Morale 

Singing  is  another  phase  of  musical  work  of  importance. 
The  Pierce-Arrow  Glee  Club  has  been  very  successful.  The 
men  of  the  company  have  organized  a  drum  corps  of  30 
pieces,  and  song  festivals  of  employees  are  held  from  time 
to  time.  Group  singing  at  the  Armour  plant,  East  St.  Louis, 
is  another  example. 

In  the  cigar  factories  in  Havana,  not  only  do  the  workers 
sing  at  their  work,  but  professional  artists  play  and  read  for 
their  entertainment.  As  a  result  of  this  there  have  been 
marked  improvements  in  production.  Some  concerns  provide 
a  talking  machine  with  good  dance  records,  operatic  music, 


THE   WORKER  AT   PLAY — METHODS  231 

and  instrumental  solos.  These  concerns  are  small  ones.  The 
time  will  soon  come  when  this  idea  will  be  carried  out  by 
large  concerns  where  the  conditions  are  such  that  the  noise 
of  machinery  will  not  interfere  with  incidental  music  if  it  is 
supplied. 

Some  Company  Organizations 

The  musical  organization  among  employees  is  an  important 
part  of  the  work  of  the  United  States  Steel  Corporation. 
Brass  bands  and  male  choruses  have  been  developed  at  the 
various  plants  of  the  company  with  considerable  success.  These 
musical  organizations  not  only  provide  local  entertainment 
but  are  frequently  invited  to  adjacent  towns.  One  of  the 
companies  provides  a  room  with  a  piano  for  the  rehearsals 
of  its  orchestra,  and  another  has  built  a  pavilion  for  outdoor 
dancing  for  which  music  is  provided  by  the  employees'  band. 

These  organizations  also  provide  musical  entertainment 
at  the  lectures  on  safety  and  other  affairs  given  for  the  benefit 
of  employees,  their  families,  and  their  neighbors.  They  are 
therefore  an  important  feature  of  community  entertainment. 
The  association  is  free  and  instruction  is  furnished  without 
cost. 

The  Curtis  Publishing  Company  has  an  orchestra  to  which 
employees  may  belong.  The  concerts  which  the  orchestra 
gives  every  few  months  in  the  Curtis  Auditorium  draw  large 
crowds  of  real  music  lovers.  The  orchestra  has  full  instru- 
mentation; and  its  soloists  are  recruited  from  the  working 
force.  Rehearsals  are  held  weekly. 

Sears,  Roebuck  and  Company  are  doing  much  in  musical 
activities.  An  employees'  musical  association  has  recently  been 
organized  for  the  purpose  of  developing  musical  talent.  Mem- 
bership is  open  to  all  employees  who  are  interested  and  possess 
the  necessary  qualifications.  Active  organization  work  is  now 
being  carried  on  with  a  view  to  the  development  of  a  band, 


232  LABOR  MAINTENANCE 

an  orchestra,  a  glee  club  for  the  men,  and.  a  chorus  for  the 
women. 

Glee  Club  of  Metropolitan  Life 

About  nine  years  ago  a  few  male  employees  in  the  home 
office  of  the  Metropolitan  Life  Insurance  Company  who  were 
church  choir  singers,  conceived  the  idea  of  organizing  a  glee 
club.  It  was  a  purely  independent  organization  of  employees, 
who  at  their  own  expense  engaged  a  professional  conductor 
and  accompanist.  Rehearsals  were  held  in  a  room  provided 
by  the  company  and  in  return  the  club  gave  concerts  to  the 
company's  office  force.  As  the  club  grew  and  became  more 
ambitious,  it  was  necessary  to  raise  funds,  and  this  was  done 
by  securing  voluntary  contributions  from  the  higher  paid  male 
employees  who  pledged  themselves  to  annual  subscriptions  of 
approximately  $3  a  year.  This  entitled  the  subscribers  to  be 
listed  on  the  programs  as  contributory  or  associate  members 
of  the  club. 

The  club  has  performed  at  many  of  the  company's  banquets 
and  conventions,  and  in  return  for  this  the  company  has 
donated  a  certain  sum  of  money  each  year  to  the  maintenance 
fund.  The  club  is  still  active,  having  about  fifty  members, 
is  thriving  and  doing  good  work.  The  expense  for  the  year, 
covering  conductor,  accompanist,  music,  outside  paid  soloist, 
and  so  on,  is  about  $600. 

In  addition  to  the  glee  club  there  is  an  active  banjo  and 
mandolin  club  composed  entirely  of  girls,  about  forty  in  num- 
ber. The  club  assesses  its  members,  engages  its  own  in- 
structor, gives  free  concerts  to  the  home  office  employees,  and 
pays  all  of  its  expense  except  a  small  annual  contribution 
from  the  company. 

The  band  was  organized  in  a  similar  way.  It  has  active 
and  associate  membership  and  its  assessments  in  the  form  of 
dues  are  used  to  meet  current  expenses.  An  experienced  band- 


THE   WORKER  AT   PLAY — METHODS  233 

master  was  employed  and  rehearsals  were  held  almost  daily 
for  months  until  the  band  became  proficient.  When  the  war 
broke  out  there  was  a  great  demand  for  the  services  of  this 
band  in  the  Liberty  Loan  and  War  Savings  Stamp  campaigns, 
and  at  that  time  the  company  furnished  the  members  with 
complete  uniforms.  The  band  is  practically  self-sustaining. 

Choral  Society  of  Strawbridge  and  Clothier  Company 

An  unusually  good  chorus  and  one  which  is  known 
throughout  the  musical  world  is  the  Choral  Society  of  the 
Strawbridge  and  Clothier  store  in  Philadelphia.  It  gives  two 
public  concerts  annually.  Its  record  includes  about  130  con- 
certs— 12  given  in  the  Academy  of  Music,  13  at  Willow  Grove 
Park  where  musical  organizations  of  international  reputation 
give  concerts,  and  about  100  in  the  store  at  Christmas  and 
Easter.  Apart  from  the  choral  society,  the  employees  of  this 
store  have  an  orchestra. 

Dramatics 

Among  the  many  activities  which  groups  may  profitably 
engage  in,  whether  in  connection  with  their  own  clubhouse 
or  club,  are  dramatics.  As  a  method  of  self-expression  and 
recreation  too  much  cannot  be  said  in  favor  of  this  form  of 
entertainment.  So  important  did  the  great  English  firm  of 
Vickers  Limited  consider  this  work,  that  in  July,  1916,  they 
built  a  special  theater  for  it.  Unfortunately  the  theater  was 
burned  a  short  time  later,  but  during  its  brief  existence  it 
gave  138  performances.  Good  comedy  was  most  popular. 

Excellent  production's  of  playlets  and  operettas  by  em- 
ployees in  industrial  concerns  are  not  uncommon.  The  em- 
ployees of  William  Filene's  Sons  Company  of  Boston,  recently 
gave  two  performances  of  a  musical  comedy  written  and 
acted  by  employees  to  capacity  audiences  at  a  large  theater. 


234  JLABOR  MAINTENANCE 

Suggestions  for  "Putting  On"  a  Play 

For  the  benefit  of  readers  who  are  interested  in  the  prac- 
tical side  of  employee  dramatics  the  following  brief  sugges- 
tions are  offered.  Where  employees  are  to  give  a  play  several 
points  must  be  considered: 

1.  The  size  of  the  cast. 

2.  The  ability  of  the  cast. 

3.  The  kind  of  play  to  be  produced. 

For  every  play  that  is  given  a  director  should  be  chosen 
to  conduct  rehearsals  and  see  that  proper  "cuts"  in  the  text 
are  made  if  necessary  to  make  the  play  a  success. 

In  addition  there  must  be  a  stage  manager  who  "holds"  the 
prompt-book  and  keeps  a  careful  record  of  stage  business — 
entrances,  exits,  and  of  the  music,  if  it  is  used.  Other  neces- 
sary officers  are  a  business  manager  who  handles  all  financial 
matters,  a  property  man  who  supplies  all  the  objects  used,  a 
"light"  man  to  take  care  of  all  stage  lighting,  and  a  costume 
man  (or  wardrobe  mistress). 

It  is  advisable  that  plays  should  be  rehearsed  in  the  halls 
in  which  they  are  given;  but  if  this  is  impracticable,  a  room 
as  near  the  size  of  the  stage  as  possible  should  be  used.  It 
is  important  to  use  the  full  number  of  "props"  or  articles  of 
stage  furniture  from  the  very  first  rehearsal  to  get  the  actors 
accustomed  to  their  surroundings.  Another  point  is  to  have 
a  copy  of  the  play  in  the  hands  of  each  actor,  or  at  least  a 
copy  of  his  own  part  in  the  play. 

The  first  rehearsal  should  consist  of  a  reading  of  the  play 
only,  each  actor  taking  his  part;  this  will  give  each  member 
of  the  cast  an  intelligent  idea  of  the  play  as  a  whole. 

At  the  second  rehearsal,  the  director  should  "block"  out 
the  action.  By  this  is  meant  supplementing  the  stage  direc- 
tions of  the  text,  which  are  often  vague,  by  indicating  on  a 
diagram  exactly  where  every  article  of  furniture,  window, 


THE   WORKER  At   PLAY — METHODS  235 

etc.,  is  to  be  placed,  and  showing  clearly  what  is  the  action 
required  of  each  character. 

A  Final  Word 

We  have  discussed  some  of  the  more  important  factors 
in  recreation  for  employees,  but  before  leaving  this  discussion 
we  should  bear  in  mind  that  the  question  of  recreation  in 
connection  with  industrial  establishments  is,  in  the  opinion 
of  many  who  have  studied  the  problem,  subject  to  argument. 
The  attitude  of  the  workers  themselves  is  exceedingly  im- 
portant and  enlightening  if  they  are  willing  to  be  entirely 
frank  about  it.  The  need  varies  with  conditions.  If  the 
community  offers  good  recreation  facilities  there  is  less  reason 
for  the  industry  to  establish  its  own  equipment. 

Employees  do  not  always  show  enthusiasm  for  recreational 
work  in  connection  with  their  employment.  Investigators  of 
working  and  living  conditions  among  women  workers  have 
found,  when  interviewing  these  girls  and  women,  frank 
acknowledgment  that  they  did  not  care  to  participate  in 
choruses,  dramatics,  and  other  forms  of  recreation  under  the 
auspices  of  the  employer;  that  many  of  them  did  so  only 
because  they  feared  the  loss  of  their  position  if  they  refused 
to  join.  That  this  is  a  true  picture  is  borne  out  by  the 
experience  of  those  who  have  seen  attempts  at  whipping  up 
enthusiasm  for  recreational  work  in  plants  where  the  manage- 
ment was  far  from  clear  as  to  its  relations  with  its  employees. 
An  energetic  director  of  recreation  may  stimulate  employees 
into  activity  for  their  own  benefit;  but  unless  the  employees 
themselves  feel  free  to  enter  into  or  reject  such  activity  it 
would  be  better  to  drop  the  matter  entirely.^ 


CHAPTER  XVII 

ACCIDENT  PREVENTION— SAFETY  WORK 

Place  of  Safety  Work  in  Labor  Maintenance 

In  spite  of  the  fact  that  common  sense  as  well  as  experience 
has  taught  us  that  the  conservation  of  man-power  through 
accident  prevention  is  essential  to  labor  stability  and  maximum 
production,  there  are  still  many  firms  which  have  failed  to 
realize  the  importance  of  organized  safety  efforts  in  industrial 
plants.  The  losses  in  life,  time,  money,  output,  and  good- will 
because  of  accidents  which  are  largely  avoidable  have  been 
terrific.  And  the  situation,  at  present,  while  considerably 
improved,  is  still  serious  and  must  be  dealt  with  promptly 
and  from  an  enlightened  point  of  view. 

No  policy  of  labor  maintenance  can  be  a  success  unless 
it  concerns  itself  with  the  safety  factor.  The  increased  use 
of  machinery,  the  lack  of  skilled  workers,  the  presence  in 
industry  of  large  numbers  of  foreigners  who  are  not  able 
to  understand  orders  or  appreciate  the  dangers  which  con- 
front them  at  every  turn,  and  the  natural  tendency  of  workers 
who  are  in  dangerous  work  to  grow  careless,  places  a  respon- 
sibility upon  management  which  cannot  be  avoided.  There 
is  no  room  for  a  policy  of  laissez  faire,  or  indifference. 

Modern  industrial  accident  compensation  laws  place  the 
burden  of  financial  losses  of  accidents  upon  industry.  Public 
policy  demands  that  employment  be  free  from  hazards  which 
can  be  removed  by  intelligent,  co-operative  effort  of  employer 
and  worker.  Viewed,  therefore,  from  the  point  of  economy 
alone,  active  measures  must  be  taken  to  reduce  this  loss.  But 
there  is  a  more  important  matter  to  be  considered  and  that 

236 


ACCIDENT   PREVENTION — SAFETY   WORK  237 

is  labor  maintenance.  It  is  hardly  possible  to  attract  good 
workers  or  maintain  them  where  the  hazards  of  the  job  are 
great,  and  where  men  are  killed  or  maimed  owing  to  the 
lack  of  proper  safeguards  or  interest  in  the  employees'  wel- 
fare. There  is  no  question  whatever  but  that  safety  work 
should  receive  close  attention — it  pays.  Its  results  are  measur- 
able in  terms  of  money  and  human  values. 

Safety  Work  Pays 

Where  properly  carried  on,  safety  work  has  brought  about 
startling  reductions  in  the  cost  of  insurance,  in  the  expenses  of 
plant  operation,  in  the  expense,  of  labor  turnover.  It  has 
helped  eliminate  the  fear  of  premature  death  or  disablement 
on  the  part  of  the  worker.  Stated  in  positive  terms,  it  has 
increased  output,  has  developed  the  employee's  interest  in  his 
job,  and  has  made  for  greater  stability.  Mutual  interest  in 
one  another  by  employer  and  employee  has  grown  out  of  this. 

In  a  letter  to  the  author,  Arthur  T.  Morey,  General  Man- 
ager of  the  Commonwealth  Steel  Company,  writes: 

To  my  mind  the  question,  "Does  it  pay?'*  to  have  a 
plant  safe  and  operating  under  the  best  working  conditions 
is  the  same  as  asking,  "Does  it  pay  for  the  sun  to  shine? 
Does  it  pay  to  be  right  in  anything?  Does  it  pay  to  be 
efficient?  Does  it  pay  to  have  good  health?  Does  it  pay 
to  have  right  morale  in  the  shop?"  I  would  say  it  has  paid 
very  handsomely,  not  only  in  contentment  and  satisfaction 
and  harmonious  conditions,  but  in  output  and  financially  as 
well. 

To  illustrate  his  point,  Mr.  Morey  further  says : 

Our  liability  insurance  rate  used  to  be  $2.16  per  $100  of 
pay-roll.  When  we  found  we  could  safeguard  our  plant  and 
teach  the  men  safety,  we  so  cut  down  our  accidents  that 
we  are  now  carrying  our  own  risk  and  in  1918  we  had 
compensation  losses  amounting  to  12  cents  per  $100  of  pay- 
roll. We  have,  of  course,  put  a  great  deal  of  money  into 


238  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

the   safeguarding   an4   safety    work,   but   even    so,    we   are 
ahead. 

C.  W.  Price,  the  eminent  safety  expert,  at  a  meeting  of 
the  New  England  Branch  of  the  National  Safety  Council 
held  in  Boston  in  1917,  stated  that  at  least  65  per  cent,  pos- 
sibly 75  per  cent,  of  all  industrial  accidents,  deaths,  and  serious 
injuries  can  be  prevented. 

He  stated  also,  by  the  way,  that  not  more  than  one-third 
of  all  the  work  accomplished  by  the  hundreds  of  companies 
which  have  taken  up  accident-prevention  work  was  accom- 
plished by  mechanical  guards,  and  that  the  other  two-thirds 
was  accomplished  by  educational  methods  by  reaching  the 
workmen  and  getting  their  interest. 

Reduced  Accident  Frequency 

A  survey  of  about  500  of  the  larger  industries  of  Ohio 
by  the  Industrial  Commission  of  that  state  brought  out  the 
fact  that  where  there  was  a  well-organized  safety  department 
with  workmen's  safety  committees,  there  was  a  reduction  of 
from  25  to  75  per  cent  in  the  number  of  accidents  reported 
since  accident-prevention  work  was  begun.  The  result  of 
this  survey  is  confirmed  by  independent  observations  in  a  num- 
ber of  leading  establishments.  We  may  cite  here  a  few  of 
these.  For  a  graphical  representation  of  accident  frequency 
rates  see  Figure  13. 

In  1914,  the  Atchison,  Topeka  and  Santa  Fe  Railway 
System,  employing  then  about  70,000  operatives,  found,  at 
the  termination  of  its  second  year's  work  in  accident  preven- 
tion among  employees,  that  it  had  reduced  the  number  of 
employees  killed  36  per  cent  and  the  number  injured  10  per 
cent. 

An  Alabama  shipbuilding  concern  through  the  co-operation 
of  shop  committees  and  the  enforced  use  of  goggles  was  able 
to  reduce  its  eye  accidents  by  35  per  cent. 


ACCIDENT   PREVENTION — SAFETY  WORK 


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240  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

At  the  Cadillac  Motor  Car  Company,  Detroit,  safety 
organization  resulted  in  a  reduction  of  64.54  per  cent  in  the 
number  of  accidents  from  September,  1912,  to  April,  1914, 
inclusive,  and  a  reduction  per  1,000  employees  of  22.25  Per 
cent. 

Two  years  ago  the  Haskell  and  Baker  Car  Company, 
Michigan  City,  began  a  campaign  for  safety,  and  accomplished 
a  reduction  of  51  per  cent  in  the  hours  lost  on  account  of 
accidents,  made  their  shop  a  safe  and  sanitary  one,  established 
a  finer  spirit  of  co-operation  between  the  workers  and  the  com- 
pany, and  effected  a  considerable  reduction  in  its  labor  turn- 
over. 

At  the  Eastman  Kodak  Company  plants  in  1910,  there 
were  109.72  accidents  per  1,000  employees.  In  the  first  six 
months  of  1914,  the  rate  was  14.99.  This  decrease  in  rate 
was  accomplished  by  the  use  of  safety  devices  and  educational 
work. 

At  the  Pacific  Gas  and  Electric  Company  from  1913,  the 
year  before  safety  work  was  begun,  to  1916,  there  was  a 
reduction  in  fatal  accidents  of  about  56  per  cent. 

In  36  months,  the  United  States  Cartridge  Company 
effected  a  reduction  of  66  per  cent  in  its  accident  frequency 
rate. 

The  Pullman  Company,  through  its  accident  reduction 
campaign,  reduced  the  average  time  loss  in  minutes  for  each 
employee  per  month,  from  48  minutes  in  January,  1913,  to 
14  minutes  in  May,  1914. 

Decreased  Compensation  Liability 

The  reduction  in  the  frequency  of  accidents  brings  a  cor- 
responding reduction  in  the  cost  of  compensation  liability: 

The  International  Harvester  Company  was  able  to  reduce 
the  cost  of  compensation  in  all  its  plants  from  54  cents  to 
25  cents  on  each  $100.  Since  safety  work  was  introduced 


ACCIDENT   PREVENTION — SAFETY   WORK  241 

in  this  company  in  1910,  there  has  been  a  reduction  of  88  per 
cent  in  the  death  and  accident  rate. 

A  prominent  contracting  firm  was  able  in  the  year  1916- 
1917,  to  reduce  its  accident  frequency  from  25  to  55  per  cent 
and  the  costs  of  accidents  13  per  cent. 

At  the  Dodge  Manufacturing  Company,  safety  efforts 
decreased  the  compensation  liability  of  the  company  from  50 
cents  to  7  cents  per  $100. 

In  one  year  the  Alpha  Portland  Cement  Company  was 
able  to  effect  a  reduction  of  $9,450.99,  or  56.3  per  cent,  in 
its  expenditure  for  workmen's  compensation  at  its  three  plants. 

The  Milwaukee  Coke  and  Gas  Company,  started  an  in- 
tensive safety  work,  and  whereas  it  paid  $3,747.72  in  com- 
pensation during  the  first  six  months  of  1913,  only  $562.57 
was  the  sum  for  a  similar  period  in  1914. 

A  remarkable  showing  is  that  of  the  United  States  Steel 
Corporation.  In  the  period  from  1911  to  1915,  it  spent  about 
$5,000,000  for  safety.  In  the  three  years  1911-1913,  it  effected 
a  gross  saving  in  casualty  expense  of  $4,775,692.64.  After 
deducting  its  expenses  for  safety,  there  remained  a  net  saving 
in  casualty  expense  of  $2,771,980.35. 

National  Safety  Council  Statistics 

To  sum  up,  the  following  records  of  decrease  in  the  number 
of  accidents  following  organized  safety  work,  supplied  by  the 
National  Safety  Council  which  has  done  notable  work  in 
stimulating  interest  in  this  vital  subject,  are  conclusive  evidence 
that  safety  work  does  pay: 

American  Smelting  and  Refining  Company  24% 

Bucyrus  Company  65 

Cadillac  Motor  Car  Company 69 

Commonwealth  Edison  Company  (Public  Service  Company  of 

North  Illinois,  and  Middle  West  Utilities  Company,  Chicago)  40 

Commonwealth  Steel  Company 69 


242  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

Corn  Products  Refining  Company 37 

Eastman  Kodak  Company 78 

Fairbanks-Morse  Manufacturing  Company 72 

George  Cutter  Company   43 

Harrison  Brothers  and  Company,  Inc 75 

Illinois  Steel  Company 65 

Inland  Steel  Company   35 

International  Harvester  Company  (Wisconsin  Steel  Company, 

Plant)   88 

Jones  and  Laughlin  Steel  Company 78 

A.  J.  Lindemann  and  Hoverson  Company 62 

Milwaukee  Coke  and  Gas  Company 83 

iNeenah  Paper  Company   83 

Packard  Motor  Car  Company 72 

The  Pullman  Company 46 

Raritan  Copper  Works 22 

Rochester  Railway  and  Light  Company 33 

United  States  Steel  Corporation 41 

Duties  of  the  Management 

In  planning  and  organizing  safety  work,  several  funda- 
mentals must  be  observed.  It  must  begin  with  the  interest, 
enthusiasm,  and  full  support  of  the  general  manager  or  super- 
intendent. A  passive  interest  on  his  part  will  not  do;  he 
cannot  leave  it  to  the  safety  engineer  or  to  the  various  com- 
mittees. He  must  use  his  personal  influence  to  get  the  work 
started  and  then  must  follow  it  closely.  Like  all  service  work, 
effort  towards  accident  prevention  requires  an  alert,  whole- 
hearted co-operation  which  must  continue  as  long  as  the  wheels 
of  production  are  in  motion. 

Duties  of  the  Foremen 

Next  to  the  management  must  come  the  active  interest 
and  co-operation  of  the  foremen  and  other  subexecutives.  The 
foremen  are  really  the  key  men.  If  they  are  indifferent, 
progress  will  be  extremely  difficult,  if  not  impossible.  It  is 


ACCIDENT   PREVENTION SAFETY   WORK  243 

the  duty  of  the  management  to  fix  the  responsibility  for  acci- 
dent prevention  upon  the  foremen.  They  should  understand 
that  in  order  to  hold  their  jobs  they  must  show  activity  in 
reducing  the  accident  rate  by  promoting  safety.  The  duty 
of  a  foreman  according  to  the  new  conception  of  the  position 
demands  something  more  than  good  production  records;  in- 
deed it  is  doubtful  whether  production  records,  however  good 
in  other  respects,  can  be  really  good  if  preventable  accidents 
occur.  A  new  standard  must  be  set.  Modern  management 
will  not  tolerate  avoidable  losses  in  man-power.  No  foreman 
is  worthy  of  the  name,  or  of  his  job,  unless  he  is  alive  to 
the  human  factors  governing  production  and  able  to  demon- 
strate the  qualities  of  leadership  required  of  those  who  handle 
men. 

The  work  should  begin  with  a  conference  of  foremen  at 
which  the  general  manager  or  the  superintendent  is  the  presid- 
ing officer.  At  this  meeting  the  importance  of  accident  preven- 
tion work  should  be  impressed  upon  the  foremen  and  their 
part  in  the  program  outlined.  In  a  meeting  held  soon  after, 
details  of  the  campaign  should  be  discussed.  Each  person 
present,  should  be  asked  to  suggest  rules,  to  tell  how  he  will 
co-operate,  and  to  tell  of  any  "danger  spots"  of  which  he  has 
knowledge  so  that  these  may  be  listed  and  action  taken  to 
remove  them. 


The  Workmen's  Committee 

After  this  conference  to  outline  the  general  scheme  of 
organization,  the  workmen's  committee  should  be  organized 
and  a  joint  conference  held  with  the  foremen  to  go  over  the 
plans.  Workmen's  committees  are  vital  to  the  success  of 
safety  organization.  Through  the  workers'  co-operation  not 
only  will  results  come  rapidly  but  the  by-products  will  be 
satisfactory.  The  plan  for  organization  outlined  below  is  in 


244  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

successful  operation  in  many  plants  and  is  a  good  example  to 
follow. 

Before  any  plans  are  developed,  except  where  the  concern 
is  small,  the  management  should  arrange  for  the  services  of 
a  competent  safety  engineer  who  will  assist  in  the  work  and 
be  largely  responsible  for  carrying  out  the  administrative 
details  connected  with  it.  There  must  be  constant  contact  and 
co-operation  between  the  engineer  and  the  works  manager 
or  management,  but  he  should  be  a  part  of  the  service  depart- 
ment and  should  report  to  the  service  manager.  While  safety 
work  is  a  part  of  plant  operation,  the  human  elements  which 
it  involves  are  so  important  that,  like  health  work  and  indus- 
trial training  work  it  should  be  a  definite  function  of  the 
service  department.  Modern  industrial  practice  is  based  upon 
this  principle. 

Duties  of  the  Safety  Engineer 

The  safety  engineer's  primary  function  is  to  reduce  the 
number  of  accidents  and  if  possible,  to  eliminate  them.  This 
he  can  do  in  two  ways: 

1.  By  suggesting,  developing,  and  establishing  safeguards, 

with  the  assistance  of  the  management,  foremen, 
and  workers. 

2.  Through  education  of  management  and  employees. 

These  duties  are  diagramed  in  detail  in  Figure  14.  The 
safety  engineer  should  direct  all  accident  prevention  work.  A 
part  of  his  program  should  be  regular  inspections  of  all  depart- 
ments. Records  of  unsafe  conditions  should  be  kept  and  fol- 
lowed up  to  make  certain  that  the  "danger  spots"  are 
eliminated.  He  should  investigate  and  report  upon  serious 
accidents  and  prepare  careful  statistics  as  to  all  accidents.  A 
large  part  of  the  safety  engineer's  success  will  depend  on  how 
well  he  presents  his  facts  to  the  management  and  to  the 


ACCIDENT   PREVENTION — SAFETY   WORK  245 


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LABOR   MAINTENANCE 


workers.     Graphic  representation  rather  than  mere  statistics 
should  tell  the  story. 

Monthly  Record  Sheet  for  Accidents 

The  form  (Figure  15)  produced  below  is  useful  in  driv- 
ing home  the  losses  from  accidents.  When  the  general  man- 
ager has  to  take  a  foreman  to  task  for  excessive  proportion 
of  accidents,  it  is  often  difficult  to  make  the  foreman  appre- 
ciate his  responsibility — his  personal  relationship  to  those  acci- 
dents— unless  he  can  be  made  to  visualize  the  losses.  The 
figures  as  to  accidents  do  not  mean  very  much  to  a  foreman 
unless  they  can  be  interpreted  to  him  in  terms  of  lost  produc- 
tion and  money  loss.  Accordingly,  several  of  the  plants  with 
which  the  author  has  been  associated  have  adopted  the  plan 
of  a  monthly  record  sheet  for  each  department  and  each 
foreman. 


WEEK  ENDI 

TIME  LOST  THROUGH  ACCIDENTS 

NG  

Employee 

Check  No. 

Nature  of  Injury 

Time  Lost 

MONTHLY  RECORD 

Foreman 

Time  Lost 

Money  Value 

Total  

Figure  15.     Weekly  and  Monthly  Record  Sheets  of  Accidents 
Showing  loss  in  money  and  production  owing  to  accidents. 

A  column  is  provided  in  this  sheet  for  the  name  of  the 
subforeman,  another  for  the  number  of  hours  lost  through 


ACCIDENT   PREVENTION — SAFETY   WORK  247 

accidents  in  the  department,  and  another  column  for  the  money 
value  of  the  hours  lost.  All  minor  accidents  are  to  be  recorded, 
and  a  minimum  of  fifteen  minutes  set  as  the  time  lost  in 
handling  such  accidents.  In  order  to  prevent  the  possibility 
of  the  foremen's  discouraging  men  with  minor  injuries  from 
reporting  to  the  nurse  and  so  reducing  the  record  of  their 
department,  the  management  made  it  clear  that  foremen  would 
be  held  personally  responsible  for  lost  time  resulting  from 
complications  arising  from  neglected  treatment  in  such  cases. 
Each  week  the  foreman  receives  a  sheet  containing  the 
names  of  employees  who  received  treatment  for  injuries,  state- 
ment as  to  the  nature  of  their  injuries,  and,  where  possible 
to  determine  it,  the  time  lost."  These  sheets  are  summarized 
on  the  monthly  record,  which  contains  no  names  of  employees, 
and  are  sent  to  foremen  with  the  request  that  the  sheet  be 
posted  in  a  conspicuous  place  in  the  shop.  In  evaluating  the 
time  lost,  only  approximate  figures  are  given,  but  they  are 
conservative  for  they  show  the  loss  in  employees'  time  only. 
If  the  cost  to  the  concern  of  time  lost  was  included,  the 
figures  would  be  even  more  startling.  This  would  mean  a 
good  deal  of  work,  however,  and  for  the  purpose  of  the  plan 
outlined  above,  would  be  unnecessary. 

Safety  Specifications  for  New  Equipment 

An  important  phase  of  the  safety  engineer's  work,  often 
overlooked,  is  the  purchase  of  new  equipment.  Modern  prac- 
tice requires  all  new  equipment  and  all  changes  in  old 
machinery  to  be  approved  as  to  safety  specifications  by  the 
safety  engineer.  Large  sums  of  money  have  been  saved  to 
industrial  plants  in  this  way. 

Suggested  Plans  for  Organization 

For  plants  employing  over  500  persons,  the  following 
organization  plan  will  prove  successful: 


248  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

1.  Plant  or  general  safety  committee 

(a)  Chairman — plant  superintendent  or  assistant. 

(b)  Secretary — safety  engineer. 

(c)  Three  or  more  department  heads  of  foremen. 

2.  Workmen's  or  departmental  safety  committees 

(a)  Chairman — shop  or  department  head. 

(b)  Secretary — safety  engineer. 

(c)  Three  to  five  workmen  appointed  by  the  chair- 

man to  hold  office  for  a  period  not  exceeding 
three  months. 

The  plant  committee  should  assume  general  supervision 
of  all  safety  work,  set  standards,  plan  rules  and  safeguards, 
and  outline  educational  work  for  safety.  Meetings  held  semi- 
monthly are  generally  sufficient. 

The  workman's  committee  should  make  regular  and  fre- 
quent inspections  and  should  formulate  plans  for  the  protec- 
tion of  the  worker  against  dangerous  conditions  which  the 
inspection  tours  disclose.  Reports,  recommendations,  and  sug- 
gestions should  be  submitted  in  writing,  on  a  form  designated 
for  that  purpose.  It  should  also  be  the  business  of  the  mem- 
bers of  this  committee  to  investigate  and  report  on  accidents 
in  their  departments.  Meetings  should  be  held  once  a  month. 

In  plants  employing  less  than  500,  there  should  be  a  safety 
committee  headed  by  the  superintendent  as  chairman,  con- 
sisting of  the  foreman  of  each  department  and  a  workman 
for  each  department.  If  a  safety  inspector  is  not  employed, 
a  member  of  the  safety  committee  may  be  elected  secretary. 
Meetings  should  be  held  monthly.  These  various  plans  of 
organization  are  illustrated  by  Figure  16. 

The  Eastman  Kodak  Company's  Organization 

A  splendid  example  of  well-organized  departmental  safety 
committees  is  that  of  the  Eastman  Kodak  Company,  where 


ACCIDENT   PREVENTION — SAFETY   WORK 


249 


250 


LABOR   MAINTENANCE 


ACCIDENT   PREVENTION — SAFETY   WORK  251 

the  committees  at  the  different  works  of  the  company  consist 
of  foremen,  subforemen,  and  workmen.  The  personnel  of 
these  groups  is  changed  periodically  so  as  to  enable  every  man 
in  the  department  to  serve  at  one  time  or  another.  Through 
their  suggestion  system  (see  Chapter  XVIII),  it  is  possible 
to  maintain  the  interest  of  committee  members  whose  terms 
expire.  The  work  of  the  committee  consists  chiefly  of  a 
weekly  inspection  of  general  conditions,  the  machinery  safe- 
guards, and  fire  equipment  of  each  department.  After  the 
weekly  inspections  the  several  committees  meet  in  the  offices 
of  their  respective  superintendents  and  discuss  their  work. 
The  superintendent  acts  as  chairman.  Records  of  these  con- 
ferences are  made  and  are  sent  to  the  managers  with  recom- 
mendations for  their  consideration  and  approval.  Ideas  and 
suggestions  are  interchanged  between  the  various  departments 
and  works  of  the  company. 


The  United  States  Steel  Corporation's  Plan 

The  United  States  Steel  Corporation  has  an  extensive 
safety  organization  for  its  various  plants.  A  committee  of 
eight,  representing  seven  of  the  large  subsidiary  companies, 
is  responsible  for  the  general  safety  policies  of  the  corporation. 
It  meets  quarterly,  makes  inspections  and  studies  all  serious 
accidents  with  a  view  to  their  prevention  in  the  future,  and 
passes  upon  safety  devices.  There  is  also  a  committee  of 
sanitation  made  up  of  four  presidents  of  subsidiary  companies 
and  an  officer  of  the  corporation. 

The  corporation  maintains  a  central  bureau  of  safety,  sani- 
tation, and  welfare,  to  co-ordinate  the  activities  of  plant  com- 
mittees to  improve  their  conditions.  The  bureau  acts  as  a 
research  agency  as  well  as  in  an  administrative  capacity. 
Through  it,  information  is  exchanged  among  the  plants  so 
that  they  may  have  the  best  thought  on  their  work.  Contact 


252  LABOR  MAINTENANCE 

with  muncipal,  state,  and  national  authorities  and  employees, 
enables  the  bureau  to  get  the  best  information  available. 

There  is  a  central  safety  committee  consisting  of  important 
officials  from  each  of  the  plants,  mines,  or  railroad  divisions. 
It  holds  monthly  meetings  and  its  duties  are  similar  to  those  of 
the  Steel  Corporation  safety  commitee.  It  carries  on  in- 
spections of  the  mills.  Each  plant  has  a  safety  committee 
made  up  of  officials  whose  duties  resemble  those  of  the  cen- 
tral safety  committee  but  are  applicable  only  to  their  individual 
plant.  The  department  and  special  committees  are  made  up 
of  foremen,  master  mechanics,  and  skilled  workmen.  Meet- 
ings are  held  weekly  or  monthly,  periodic  inspections  made, 
and  special  investigations  of  particular  problems  conducted. 
The  workmen's  safety  committee  at  each  plant  consists  of 
three  workers  from  the  rank  and  file.  Membership  is  rotated 
to  enable  every  worker  to  serve. 

Interesting  the  Worker  in  Safety 

After  the  proposed  safety  work  has  been  organized,  the 
next  step  is  to  secure  the  interest  of  the  worker  and  his  active 
co-operation  in  carrying  on  the  work.  The  campaign  for 
safety  must  continue  every  day  in  the  year — sporadic  efforts 
will  not  bring  results  that  count.  Unless  it  is  planned  with 
a  view  of  interesting  the  worker  and  is  carried  on  so  skilfully 
as  to  draw  out  this  voluntary  co-operation,  it  is  likely  to 
degenerate,  after  the  first  spurt  of  enthusiasm,  into  occasional 
half-hearted  nagging,  which  will  invariably  provoke  the 
worker's  hostility.  Under  such  conditions  safety  work  had 
better  not  be  attempted  at  all. 

Safety  Meetings 

Fortunately  the  interest  of  the  worker  may  be  gained 
in  a  variety  of  ways.  Safety  meetings  are  a  great  aid.  They 
should  be  held  often  and  should  have  some  definite  message 


ACCIDENT   PREVENTION — SAFETY   WORK  253 

to  put  over.  Meetings  must  be  carefully  planned  and  the 
points  for  discussion  outlined.  Luncheons  or  dinners  given 
by  the  safety  committees  occasionally  help  to  maintain  interest 
and  enthusiasm.  When  a  concern  has  several  branches  in 
various  cities  it  might  be  well  to  arrange  for  regular  annual 
safety  meetings  of  department  superintendents  and  assistants 
at  some  central  place.  This  is  the  practice  of  a  large  manu- 
facturing corporation. 

The  key  to  the  success  of  safety  meetings  in  a  plant  is  the 
superintendent.  As  the  National  Safety  Council  points  out 
in  one  of  its  excellent  bulletins: 

If  he  can  impress  the  men^with  his  sincerity  of  purpose, 
that  he  is  heart  and  soul  with  them  in  the  fight  against 
avoidable  accidents ;  that,  in  fact,  he  is  the  best  "safety-first" 
man  on  the  committee;  if  he  will  greet  the  members  cordially, 
make  them  feel  at  home,  exercise  a  friendly  tact  in  drawing 
out  the  best  that  is  in  them,  and  thus  create  an  environment 
of  good  fellowship  and  co-operation  in  the  work  set  before 
them,  he  will  have  done  more  than  any  other  man  could  do 
to  solve  the  problem  of  interesting  and  profitable  meetings. 
If,  on  the  other  hand,  he  is  cold  and  indifferent,  narrow 
in  his  views,  official  in  his  bearing,  and  unresponsive,  if  not 
tacitly  antagonistic,  to  the  suggestions  offered,  he  can  kill 
the  meeting  and  with  it  the  vital  spark  of  the  whole  safety 
movement. 

The  question  of  when  to  make  special  efforts  in  pushing 
the  campaign  is  one  which  frequently  comes  up.  Specially 
intensive  work  is  necessary  during  the  months  preceding  those 
in  which  accidents  are  most  frequent.  The  accident  records 
will  help  determine  the  time  when  additional  effort  should  be 
made  to  promote  safety.  A  certain  plant,  for  instance,  found 
that  the  month  of  June  represented  the  largest  number  of  eye 
accidents.  Additional  precaution  and  special  campaigning  dur- 
ing this  time  resulted  in  a  material  reduction  in  the  number 
of  those  accidents. 


254  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

Other  Means  of  Fostering  Interest 

The  United  States  Steel  Corporation  gives  entertainments 
at  their  works  and  mines,  as  well  as  in  the  churches  and 
schools,  and  presents  stereopticon  talks  and  motion  pictures 
regarding  dangerous  conditions  and  practices.  The  companies 
issue  calendars  containing  prominently  displayed  safety  slogans 
and  pictures  to  their  workmen.  Another  feature  of  the  safety 
campaign  is  the  free  distribution  of  lead  pencils,  buttons, 
watch-fobs,  and  drinking  cups,  stamped  with  safety  mottoes. 

A  Pennsylvania  plant  last  summer  gave  each  of  its  em- 
ployees a  light  cap  bearing  the  words  "Safety  First"  in  bold 
letters  around  the  crown. 

Signs  containing  safety  slogans  in  various  languages  are 
successfully  used  by  plants  employing  much  foreign  labor. 
Usually  one  of  these  signs  is  placed  outside  the  entrance  to 
the  plant  in  the  waiting-room  of  the  employment  office.  Others 
are  distributed  about  in  prominent  places  in  the  plant. 

Safety  bulletin-boards  may  be  used  to  maintain  enthu- 
siastic support  of  safety  efforts.  The  material  on  these  bul- 
letin-boards should  be  neatly  and  attractively  arranged  and 
changed  frequently.  So  many  boards  are  cluttered  up  with 
dog-eared  papers  and  old  matter  that  they  are  rarely  read. 
The  material  on  the  board  should  be  arranged  to  drive  home 
one  central  idea.  Too  many  diverse  items  cause  confusion  of 
thought. 

A  feature  of  the  safety  work  of  the  Dodge  Manufacturing 
Company  of  Mishawaka,  Indiana,  is  what  they  call  "the 
danger  target"  consisting  of  a  red  ball  in  the  center  surrounded 
by  a  blue  band,  this  in  turn  by  a  narrow  band  of  white,  and 
then  a  broad  yellow  band.  The  red  ball  bears  the  words  "Stop, 
Think,  Be  Careful."  These  danger  targets  are  placed  in  dark 
corners. 

An  effective  method  of  driving  home  the  safety  idea  is 
through  slogans  printed  on  pay  envelopes.  A  series  of  such 


ACCIDENT   PREVENTION — SAFETY   WORK  255 


256  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

envelopes  with  about  twenty-four  or  more  slogans,  if  possible 
one  for  each  week,  is  inexpensive  and  profitable.  A  few 
examples  are  here  given.  (See  Figure  17.) 

The  Avery  Company's  Campaign 

One  of  the  finest  safety  campaigns  is  that  conducted  by  the 
Avery  Company  of  Peoria,  Illinois.  Its  colored  charts  depict- 
ing the  work  of  the  safety  inspector  are  telling  in  their  effect 
upon  the  workers.  For  example,  one  of  the  shop  rules  of  the 
company  provides  that  "employees  receiving  injuries  of  any 
nature,  no  matter  how  small,  must  report  immediately  in  per- 
son to  the  dispensary  for  treatment/'  As  a  result,  in  1914, 
no  time  was  lost  in  98.3  per  cent  of  the  accidents.  Other  years 
have  a  similar  record.  At  the  foot  of  each  chart  is  the  state- 
ment, "We  cannot  profit  through  our  Accident  Prevention  and 
Medical  Aid  System  until  our  men  have  benefited  and  profited 
thereby."  A  booklet  called  "A  Letter  to  the  Workmen  of 
the  Avery  Factory,"  discussing  safety  and  issued  to  each  work- 
man, is  a  masterpiece. 

An  Accident  Prevention  Score-Board 

The  Dodge  Manufacturing  Company  which  has  already 
been  mentioned,  has  done  notable  work  in  accident  prevention. 
One  of  the  features  of  their  work  is  their  unique  accident 
prevention  score-board  which  is  here  reproduced  (Figure  18). 
This  score-board  is  24  feet  long  and  stands  inside  the  main 
gate.  The  starting  point  for  the  month  and  for  the  year  is 
1,000.  Divisions  are  charged  with  all  accidents  resulting  in 
absence  of  more  than  one  day.  "Each  day's  absence,"  says 
W.  L.  Chandler,  in  describing  the  scheme,  "bears  a  percentage 
charge  in  proportion  to  the  total  number  of  'men-days'  per 
month  division."  The  question  of  the  degree  of  hazard  is 
eliminated  as  being  equalized  in  the  selection  of  men  because 
of  their  fitness  for  their  particular  kind  of  work. 


ACCIDENT    PREVENTION SAFETY   WORK 


257 


To  meet  the  variation  in  the  sizes  and  groups  of  workers 
the  company  has  established  a  differential  charge  per  man  per 
day  for  time  off  "which  is  computed  by  reducing  each  division 

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Used  at  the  Dodge  Plant.     Each  day's  absence  bears  a  percentage  charge  in  proportion  to 
the  total  number  of  "men-days"  per  month  per  division. 

to  men-days  for  each  month,  and  using  a  multiplier  of  IO 
to  raise  the  figures  to  a  more  workable  and  understandable 
basis.  A  division  working  50  men  for  25  days  per  month 
amounts  to  1,250  men-days;  dividing  1,000  by  1,250  and  mul- 


258  LABOR  MAINTENANCE 

tiplying  the  result  by  10  makes  8  points  for  each  man  off  one 
day  on  account  of  accident  in  that  division.  Wide  variations 
noticed  in  a  year's  competition  in  the  different  divisions  should 
be  the  basis  of  an  adjustment  of  this  penalty  charge,  which 
adjustment  should  not  have  to  be  made  during  a  month."  This 
makes  penalties  equal  in  large  and  small  divisions.  As  was 
stated  above,  minor  accidents  which  do  not  mean  much  loss 
of  time  are  not  considered  and  there  is  no  penalty  for  the 
day  on  which  the  accident  occurred. 

The  employees  of  the  divisions,  which  score  1,000  at  the 
end  of  12  months,  receive  two  days'  extra  wages  or  such 
portion  of  that  amount  as  their  time  and  employment  bears 
to  the  full  year.  Should  no  department  score  1,000,  then  the 
department  ranking  highest  receives  two  days'  extra  pay,  and 
the  second  highest  extra  pay  for  one  day.  General  foremen 
of  a  division  which  earns  these  awards  participate  in  the 
award,  but  may  receive  only  one  award  if  other  divisions 
under  them  have  a  perfect  score. 

Development  of  Self-Control 

The  thing  to  bear  in  mind  in  the  whole  matter  is  that, 
as  W.  Atterbury  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  puts  it,  "The 
problem  of  safety  is  not  altogether  a  question  of  rules  and 
their  enforcement,  safety  appliances  and  their  application,  but 
the  development  of  inherent  self-restraint  and  control."  Acci- 
dent prevention  is  a  matter  of  training  and  education,  a  matter 
of  intelligent  consciousness  of  dangers,  and  team  play  in  their 
elimination. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

DEVELOPING  A  SUGGESTION  SYSTEM 

A  Suggestion  System  as  an  Investment 

There  can  be  no  question  that  a  carefully  devised  plan  for 
stimulating  suggestions  relating  to  safety,  increased  produc- 
tion, and  improvement  of  equipment,  is  a  most  desirable  asset 
in  any  organization.  Experience  has  shown  that  some  of  the 
most  profitable  measures  ever  undertaken  by  a  number  of 
concerns  were  prompted  by  the  initiative  and  resourcefulness 
of  some  employee.  But  of  still  greater  importance  is  the  fact 
that  a  working  force  that  takes  sufficient  interest  to  give  ideas 
to  the  management  is  a  triumph  in  good  relations. 

And  yet  the  story  of  suggestion  work  throughout  the 
country  is  not,  excepting  a  few  shining  examples,  one  of  much 
encouragement.  Suggestion  plans  are  started,  live  for  a  while, 
and  die  out.  Oftentimes  the  very  start  is  abortive.  Does 
this  argue  that  the  plan  is  not  workable  or  worth  while?  It 
would  be  a  mistake  to  think  so,  despite  the  unfavorable  results 
that  have  attended  many  a  suggestion  system. 

In  the  first  place,  let  us  face  this  question:  Have  the 
individuals  that  make  up  the  personnel  of  an  establishment 
any  thoughts  of  their  own,  or  are  they  merely  automatons? 
No  intelligent  person  would  make  or  support  the  latter  asser- 
tion. The  history  of  inventions  disproves  any  notion  that  a 
body  of  workers  lacks  the  power,  or  that  no  individual  in 
such  body  has  the  power,  to  make  some  worth-while  contribu- 
tion. Even  though  a  crowd  may  have  what  is  called  "average 
qualities,"  by  the  very  law  of  averages  it  should  be  possible 
to  draw  from  it  something  that  will  be  a  step  forward. 

259 


260  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

The  Influence  of  Managerial  Attitude 

There  are  two  kinds  of  management,  viewed  from  the 
standpoint  of  interest  in  the  employee:  (i)  the  kind  that 
expects  nothing  in  the  way  of  initiative  from  its  employees, 
and  therefore  does  nothing  to  make  any  contribution  welcome 
or  possible;  (2)  the  other  kind  which  believes  fully  in  what 
may  come  from  a  number  of  people  thrown  together  in  a 
common  task  and  charges  itself  with  the  responsibility  of 
furnishing  these  people  with  incentives  to  use  their  wits  and 
original  gifts. 

In  other  words,  the  attitude  of  management  is  the  im- 
portant fact  in  considering  suggestion  systems.  Is  the  attitude 
one  founded  on  faith  in  the  men  associated  with  them  ?  Then 
we  may  expect  things  to  happen.  Is  the  attitude  one  of  lack 
of  faith,  disbelief  in  the  mentality  of  the  men?  We  may 
expect  in  this  case  a  paralysis  of  initiative,  a  reluctance  to  say 
or  do  anything  that  will  help  the  management  of  the  enter- 
prise. Attitude  is  important  right  down  the  line,  from  the 
president  to  the  sub-boss. 

"Selling"  the  Idea  to  Managers 

A  suggestion  system  can  be  made  to  work  if  enough 
thought  is  given  to  its  organization  and  maintenance.  The 
very  first  step  in  undertaking  it  is  to  "sell"  it  to  every  man 
who  holds  any  place  of  authority,  however  slight,  in  the 
organization.  The  object  of  selling  it  is  to  put  an  end  to 
the  obstruction  to  initiative  that  a  wrong  attitude  always 
causes.  The  wrongness  of  the  attitude  does  not  necessarily 
consist  in  an  active  belittlement  of  the  people  and  their  capaci- 
ties. It  seldom  goes  that  far.  More  usually  the  wrong  atti- 
tude is  the  result  of  the  executive's  lack  of  imagination.  The 
fact  is  probably  that  he  has  never  had  his  attention  called 
to  the  possibilities  of  learning  something  from  the  man  bebaw 
as  well  as  from  the  man  above. 


DEVELOPING   A   SUGGESTION    SYSTEM  261 

Many  persons  in  authority  need  to  be  told  something  of 
the  excellent  ideas  and  devices  that  have  come  in  the  past 
from  men  at  the  bench,  from  men  so  frequently  overlooked 
because  they  are  shy,  or  hesitating,  or  timid.  Creative  minds 
are  not  always  aggressive.  Thinking  is  a  silent  process,  and 
its  expression  often  depends  on  the  encouragement  that  it 
receives.  It  is  very  easy  to  freeze  the  workers'  enthusiasm, 
initiative,  and  productive  spirit  of  co-operation. 

Unpleasant  experiences  in  the  past  with  the  wrong  atti- 
tude have  made  many  workers  feel  that  any  suggestions  on 
their  part,  no  matter  how  important  to  an  organization,  would 
only  meet  with  rebuff,  and  possibly  some  kind  of  petty  reprisal 
at  the  hands  of  their  immediate  superior.  Such  occurrences, 
unfortunately,  have  not  been  rare;  indeed  they  are  the  tradi- 
tion of  many  a  shop. 

Obviously  there  is  need  of  building  a  new  and  better  tradi- 
tion. It  will  take  time,  but  it  is  worth  all  the  time  and  effort 
it  costs.  One  first  duty  of  the  management  is  to  make  known 
in  the  most  effective  way  possible  its  confidence  in  the  ideas 
that  anyone  connected  with  the  organization  feels  like  trans- 
mitting. No  suggestion  or  communication  from  an  employee 
should  ever  go  unanswered.  Even  if  the  bulk  of  the  com- 
munications should  prove  low-grade  ore,  the  fact  of  having 
an  interest  aroused  will  carry  the  organization  a  long  way 
forward. 

At  the  risk  of  triteness,  it  should  be  insisted  that  no  one 
should  ever  be  humiliated  for  having  tried  to  be  of  help. 
There  should  always  be  a  careful  explanation  given  for  the 
inability  to  accept  a  suggestion. 

The  Right  Foundation 

Back  of  any  suggestion  system,  however,  is  the  necessity 
of  giving  the  people  from  whom  suggestions  may  be  expected 
some  insight  into  the  workings  and  the  problems  of  the  estab- 


262  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

lishment  which  engages  them.  The  trouble  with  many  estab- 
lishments is  that  they  literally  pitchfork  new  employees  into 
their  departments.  There  is  too  little  introductory  work,  work 
of  initiation,  work  of  "selling"  the  plant's  standards  and  ideals 
to  the  newcomers.  In  order  to  think,  men  must  have  some- 
thing to  think  with  and  think  about. 

So  the  second  point  in  making  a  suggestion  system  success- 
ful is  to  build  up  in  the  minds  of  the  employees  a  useful  and 
stimulating  conception  of  the  work  and  organization  they  give 
their  time  to. 

Stimulating  the  Employee's  Interest 

Finally,  a  suggestion  system  should  be  a  co-operative  affair. 
The  employees  should  be  active  in  carrying  it  on,  they  too 
should  be  in  the  place  of  judges  so  that  they  may  view  things 
from  the  angle  of  management.  If,  in  the  course  of  time, 
a  large  number  of  employees  serve  as  members  of  suggestion 
and  prize  committees,  the  organization  will  find  a  good-sized 
nucleus  of  alert  interest  throughout.  There  might  well  be  set 
up  what  might  be  called  competitive  committees  on  sugges- 
tions, with  prizes  for  the  committee  which  meets  with  the 
largest  measure  of  response  from  the  group  or  departments 
to  which  it  may  be  assigned.  This  decentralizes  suggestion 
work,  as  it  really  should  be  decentralized. 

While  final  judgment  and  awards  may  clear  through  one 
central  body,  the  burden  of  the  preliminaries  should  be  dis- 
tributed throughout  the  organization. 

Dangers  of  Mechanical  Management 

All  that  has  been  written  in  the  foregoing  is  based  on  the 
assumption  that  suggestion  systems  may  be  made  an  important 
asset  in  management  and  its  problems.  It  is  written  in  the 
belief  that  there  are  unused  resources  of  teamwork  and  con- 
tributions to  progress  in  the  average  concern.  These  assump- 


DEVELOPING  A   SUGGESTION   SYSTEM  263 

tions  coincide,  fortunately,  with  the  expressed  desires  of  large 
numbers  of  people  who  wish  to  find  a  stimulus  to  thought 
in  the  work  that  they  do.  There  is  a  marked  reaction  against 
a  too  mechanical  scheme  of  management.  This  protest  against 
rigid  and  unimaginative  conduct  of  industry  has  bewildered 
many  an  executive.  His  confusion  is  due  to  his  failure  to 
see  that  men  are  asking  for  larger  opportunities  to  be  of 
service.  So  far  from  being  a  source  of  anxiety,  this  tendency 
is  one  of  the  most  hopeful  facts  in  industrial  life  today.  The 
wise  executive  sees  in  these  stirrings  the  hope  of  creating  a 
more  responsive  organization.  He  knows  that  inertia  holds 
back  all  prospect  of  sound  growth.  He  regards  it  as  his  chief 
duty  to  sustain  the  spirit  of  co-operation,  zeal,  and  inventive- 
ness that  his  associates  in  the  shop  can  develop. 


Tapping  a  Reserve  of  Energy 

Veteran  executives,  and  those  endowed  with  human  in- 
terests know  that  men  in  the  shop  are  not  the  same  men  outside 
the  shop.  Many  of  these  men  are  at  their  best  outside  the 
shop,  and  after  working  hours.  They  give  rein  to  qualities 
that  the  organization  they  work  for  may  be  badly  in  need  of. 
Why  should  men  be  less  than  their  best  during  working  hours  ? 
Why  should  they  reserve  their  most  valuable  capacities  for 
usefulness  outside  the  work  day,  why  withhold  their  best 
energies  from  their  industrial  life?  It  is  not  because  they 
are  perverse.  It  is  because  the  management  has  not  on  the 
whole  done  its  full  duty  by  them,  and  sought  to  deserve  such 
best  service.  Observe  one  organization  and  you  see  a  fine 
spirit  at  work.  You  know  that  human  nature  is  giving  a 
good  account  of  itself  there.  Go  to  another,  and  you  feel 
certain,  after  a  few  moments  that  no  man  will  do  a  bit  more 
than  he  absolutely  has  to,  that  his  affections,  loyalties,  interests, 
and  even  his  wits  were  checked  at  the  factory  gate  when  he 


264  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

checked  in  that  morning.     Who  is  responsible  for  this  con- 
dition ? 

In  this  connection,  the  experience  of  concerns  with  well- 
organized  suggestions  is  well  worth  the  attention  of  modern 
industrial  managers. 

The  Eastman  Kodak  Company's  Plan 

One  of  the  best  plans  is  that  of  the  Eastman  Kodak  Com- 
pany. Its  practical  aspects  are  described  here  for  the  benefit 


EASTMAN  KODAK  COMPANY-KODAK  PARK  WORKS 

Preliminary  Suggestion  Blank 

USE  THIS  FORM  WHEN  IDEA  IS  NOT  COMPLETE  OR  FULLY  WORKED  OUT 

We  welcome  and  will  investigate  carefully  any  euggestions  which  will  beneBt  the  Company  and  its  employees.    An  award  will 
made  (or  all  suggestions  adopted  according  to  thi'ir  merit.     Put  sketches  on  a  separate  sheet. 

For  complete  information  regarding  use  of  Suggestion  Blanks  Bee  directions  printed  on  back  of  forma. 


I  believe  the  above  suggestion  will  result  in  (1)  Improvement  in  Product ~ _,.. (2i  Reduction  in  Costa, 

. (3)  Improvement  in  Manufacturing  Methods  :.......- : — ( 4)  Reduction  in 

Accident  or  Fire  Haiarf. « - <5>  Conveniences^ „, „ 1  am  asking. 

assistance  from »"<*  W'H  report  in _ weeks.     Signature  of  Foreman  .._ _ _» 

Signed R<-8-  No Dept Date 1 


Employee's  Coupon — Preliminary  Suggestion  Blank 

I  SUGGESTED:  No- 


~  .^  _  NOTE — Be  sure  to  keep  this  coupon  for  refer 


Figure  19.     Preliminary  Suggestion  Blank.     (Size  8x7^.) 

This  blank  is  used  when  an  employee  desires  credit  for  a  suggestion  which  he  has  been  unable 

to  work  out  completely.      No  reduction  for  advice  or  help  is  made  in  the  amount  of  the 

reward  if  the  suggestion  is  adopted. 

of  those  who  would  adopt  a  similar  scheme.  Of  course, 
modifications  will  have  to  be  made  to  suit  the  conditions 
peculiar  to  each  concern.  At  the  Kodak  Park  works  of  the 
company  at  Rochester,  two  sets  of  blanks  like  those  here 
reproduced  (Figures  19  and  20)  are  left  at  various  convenient 
points.  The  employee  writes  out  his  suggestion,  describing 


DEVELOPING   A    SUGGESTION    SYSTEM  265 

his  idea  fully,  seals  it  in  an  envelope  marked  "Manager's 
Office,"  and  drops  it  in  one  of  the  locked  mail-boxes  which 
are  provided  for  this  purpose  and  from  which  daily  collections 
are  made  and  the  contents  delivered  to  the  manager's  office. 
As  soon  as  the  suggestion  reaches  the  manager's  office  it 
is  stamped  with  the  date  of  the  collection.  The  company 
found  this  necessary  owing  to  the  fact  that  often  different 
employees  would  make  suggestions  regarding  the  same  thing 
at  practically  the  same  time  and  the  question  of  priority  would 


EASTMAN  KODAK  COMPANY-KODAK  PARK  WORKS        -j^o    40045 


Regular  Suggestion  Blank. 


EREIN" 


We  welcome  and  wTO  investigate  carefully  any  suggestions  which  will  benefit  the  Company  and  its  employe*'..  An  award  will  be 
made  for  all  suggestions  adopted  according  to  thi'ir  merit.     Put  sketches  on  a  separate  sheet. 

For  complete  information  regarding  use  of  Suggestion  Blanks  see  directions  printed  on  back  of  forms. 


I  believe  the  above  suggestion  will 
Accident  or  Fire  Hazard 


Employee's  Coupon— Regular  Suggestion  Blank 

IKCGGJS8X1D.-  S?     48245 


y. —  1'p  sure  to  fcwp  this  coupon  fo 


Figure  20.     Regular  Suggestion  Blank.     (Size  8x  7^.) 

This  form  is  used  when  the  idea  has  been  fully  worked  out. 

arise.  A  printed  acknowledgment  (see  Figure  21)  is  sent  to 
each  person  who  has  submitted  a  suggestion  and  a  copy  of 
the  suggestion  is  filed  (see  Figure  22). 

A  copy  of  the  suggestion  is  sent  to  the  superintendent  of 
the  department  with  which  the  suggestion  is  concerned  and 
the  superintendent  studies  the  suggestion  and  returns  it  with 
his  comment  to  the  manager.  Should  the  recommendation 


266  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

of  the  superintendent  (Figure  23)  receive  the  indorsement 
of  the  manager,  the  superintendent  will  be  instructed  to  carry 
out  the  suggestion  and  a  report  like  that  in  Figure  24  stating 


EASTMAN  KODAK  COMPANY— KODAK  PARK  WORKS 

SUGGESTION  DEPARTMENT 

ACKNOWLEDGMENT  OF    SUGGESTION' 


KODAK  PARK, 

To, 

We  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your  suggestion  number for  which  .we 

thank  you.     It  has  been  referred  to  Mr. , for  investigation. 

You  may  bring  to  his  attention  any  further  information   that  you   may  have  concerning 

your  idea. 

Very  truly  yours 


Figure  2 1.    Acknowledgment  of  Suggestion  Form.     (Size  7^x4%.) 

Receipt  of  either  the  preliminary  suggestion  blank  or  the  regular  suggestion  blank  is  acknow- 

edged  on  this  form. 

that  the  idea  has  been  accepted,  is  sent  to  the  maker  of  the 
suggestion.  A  report  is  likewise  sent  if  the  idea  fails  of 
adoption. 


EASTMAN  KODAK  COMPANY-KODAK  PARK  WORKS 

SUGGESTION  DEPARTMENT 

FILE  COPY  OF  SUGGESTION  No, 


Figure  22.     Form  Used  for  Filing  Suggestions.     (Size  8x  6^.) 

An  important  feature  of  the  plan  is  that  each  suggestion 
as  it  passes  through  the  several  steps  in  the  process  of  adop- 
tion or  rejection  is  known  only  by  number.  This  insures 


DEVELOPING  A   SUGGESTION   SYSTEM  267 

fairness  in  judgment  and  the  idea  stands  or  falls  only  on  its 
merits. 

A  list  is  made  each  month  of  all  suggestions  which  are 
adopted  and  put  into  effect  during  the  month,  as  well  as  a 
brief  description  of  each  suggestion  and  its  advantages,  and 
a  copy  is  sent  to  each  member  of  the  suggestion  committee, 
which  consists  of  the  superintendents  of  the  various  depart- 
ments. 


EASTMAN  KODAK  COMPANY-KODAK  PARK 

SUGGESTION  DEPARTMENT 

SUPERINTENDENT'S  COPY  OF  SUGGESTION 


Msker  conxiderp  reggcrtion  will  re«i!l  in   (1)   Improvement  in  Product ...    ...  .<?)  Seduction  in  CoiW 

______ (3)    Improvement  in  Manufacturing  Method* (4)  Reduction  In 


Accident  or  Fire  BftWid ..(6)  Coov 


Date .......Class „ Rating _  Award Cost. 

Saving  per  Year  or  Value  cf  Sug,3esl'cn 


Figure   23.     Superintendent's    Copy   of   Suggestion.     (Size 
The  superintendent  studies  the  suggestion  and  makes  his  recommendation  onjthis  form. 

Awards  for  Suggestions 

Awards  for  the  suggestions  of  preceding  months  are 
made  at  a  monthly  meeting.  Each  suggestion  which  was 
adopted  and  put  into  effect  during  the  month  is  taken  up  by 
the  superintendent  under  whose  supervision  it  was  put  into 
practice  and  he  states  what  award,  if  any,  in  his  opinion  the 
suggestion  should  receive.  The  advantages  of  the  suggestions 
are  discussed  and  a  vote  is  taken  as  to  awards. 

The  amounts  of  the  awards  are  not  fixed.  One  dollar 
is  given  for  each  suggestion  adopted.  The  practice  of  the 


268  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

company  until  a  few  years  ago  was  to  set  aside  $700  for 
awards  but  now  the  practice  is  to  reward  suggestions  without 
restriction  as  to  the  total  amount  to  be  distributed.  In  the 
first  year  of  the  plan  $50  a  month  was  awarded  and  a  special 
annual  prize  of  $100  given  for  the  best  suggestion  of  the  year, 
but  as  in  some  months  there  were  no  suggestions  which  merited 
the  first  prize  of  $25,  the  plan  was  modified.  The  rule  was 
inaugurated  that  no  suggestion  could  compete  for  a  prize 


EASTMAN  KODAK  COMPANY-KODAK  PARK 'WORKS 

SUGGESTION   DEPARTMENT 

REPORT  ON  SUGGESTION 


KODAK  PARK,. 


To , _ — . Reporting  on  Suggestion'  No. 


In  case  your  suggestion  is  aJopted.  he  sure  to  let  us  know  in  case  it  it  not  put  into  operation  in  a  reasonable  time,  as  it  may 
have  been  mislaid  or  overlooked.     Awards  are  not  made  until  adopted  suggestions  arc  put  into  operation. 


Figure  24.     Report  Blank  on  Suggestions.     (Size 

A  report  stating  whether  or  not  the  idea  has  been  accepted,  is  sent  to  the  maker  of  the 

suggestion. 

which  had  not  been  in  operation  for  at  least  one  month 
previous  to  the  suggestion  meeting,  and  that  should  there 
be  no  suggestion  meriting  the  first  prize  this  amount  would 
be  withheld  and  used  as  a  fund  from  which  to  award  special 
prizes  at  the  end  of  the  year.  As  this  rule  proved  to  be 
unpopular,  it  was  decided  to  make  awards  every  two  months. 
At  the  present  time,  however,  awards  are  made  each  month 
even  when  the  winning  suggestion  is  not  up  to  the  usual 


DEVELOPING  A   SUGGESTION   SYSTEM  269 

standard.  It  should  be  noted  here  that  the  company  pays 
its  awards  in  gold. 

The  company  believes  that  monthly  rewards  are  the  most 
desirable  method  of  stimulating  suggestions.  When  awards 
were  made  at  quarterly  periods  there  would  be  a  flow  of 
suggestions  for  a  week  or  two  after  but  there  was  a  consider- 
able drop  for  the  remainder  of  the  period.  Now  that  monthly 
distributions  are  made  the  flow  of  suggestions  is  steady. 

A  noteworthy  feature  of  the  Eastman  plan  is  that,  con- 
trary to  the  practice  in  other  concerns,  it  includes  foremen 
in  its  awards.  Some  of  the  best  ideas  were  obtained  by  the 
company  in  this  way.  The  experiment  was  made  of  placing 
the  foremen  in  a  competitive  group  removed  from  that  of 
the  workmen  but  this  proved  unsatisfactory. 

The  National  Cash  Register  Company's  Plan 

One  of  the  most  successful  suggestion  systems  is  that  of 
the  National  Cash  Register  Company.  This  company  conducts 
six  months'  suggestion  contests  and  offers  cash  prizes  for 
ideas.  Fifteen  hundred  dollars  are  offered  to  165  employees 
whose  suggestions  are  especially  good ;  in  addition,  one  dollar 
is  given  for  each  adopted  suggestion  to  those  who  fail  to  win 
one  of  the  larger  awards. 

The  rules  provide  that  all  employees  except  executive  Heads, 
supervisors,  department  heads,  foremen,  job  foremen,  section 
heads,  and  sales  agents,  may  compete.  When  similar  sugges- 
tions are  submitted  by  two  or  more  employees,  credit  is  given 
to  the  one  from  whom  the  idea  was  first  received. 

Suggestions  concerning  maintenance  repairs,  such  as 
carpenter  work,  painting,  and  electrical,  millwright,  and  plumb- 
ing work  are  not  considered  as  awardable  suggestions  unless 
accompanied  by  an  improved  method  of  doing  the  work. 

Suggestions  made  by  employees  affecting  their  own  work, 
when  it  is  within  their  province  to  make  the  change  or  im- 


270  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

provement,  and  in  fact  when  it  is  their  duty  to  improve,  are 
not  considered  for  the  dollar  prize.  If,  however,  the  sug- 
gested change  has  to  be  authorized  by  a  superior,  it  is  con- 
sidered as  a  suggestion  and  the  suggester  entitled  to  the  one- 
dollar  prize,  if  adopted. 

All  suggestions  must  be  written  clearly  so  that  the  idea 
may  be  easily  understood.  The  date  and  signature  of  the 
employee  must  appear  on  each  suggestion.  Sketches  must  be 
made  on  separate  sheets  and  attached  to  the  suggestions  to 
which  they  refer.  Any  employee  who  wants  information 
or  assistance  in  writing  up  his  ideas  may  obtain  help  from 
the  suggestion  department  by  writing  or  calling  personally. 
The  company  gives  credit  for  suggestions  which  have  value 
but  which  for  some  reason  cannot  be  put  into  operation  at  the 
time. 

Specific  directions  are  given  as  to  the  kind  of  suggestions 
welcomed.  The  company  desires  suggestions  affecting  the 
business  in  the  following  manner: 

1.  Increasing  co-operation. 

2.  Improving  the  quality  of  the  company's  work. 

3.  Decreasing  the  cost  without  decreasing  the  daily  wage 

and  lowering  the  quality. 

4.  Eliminating  unnecessary  and  duplicating  work. 

5.  Better  plans  for  shopwork. 

6.  Increasing  the  sales  of  the  company's  product. 

7.  Improving  blank  forms. 

8.  Improving  the  health  of  employees. 

9.  Additional  safety  precautions  to  make  the  work  less 

dangerous. 

10.  Using  the  cheaper  tools  and  operations  to  accomplish 
the  same  results. 

Complaints  are  also  welcomed  and  if  they  lead  to  an 
improvement  receive  the  same  credit  as  adopted  suggestions. 


DEVELOPING   A   SUGGESTION   SYSTEM  271 

Method  of  Handling  Suggestions 

The  method  of  handling  suggestions  offers  several  points 
of  value  to  other  concerns  which  contemplate  the  adoption 
of  a  suggestion  system.  Each  suggestion  is  read,  classified 
according  to  the  subject  with  which  it  deals,  acknowledged, 
and  entered  upon  the  employee's  record  card.  It  is  then  copied 
without  the  signature  and  goes  to  the  proper  person  for 
investigation.  After  the  investigation  a  definite  report  is 
made  concerning  its  merits,  and  in  each  case  the  employee 
is, notified  of  its  adoption  or  rejection.  If  the  suggestion  is 
not  adopted,  the  reasons  are  given;  if  adopted,  the  suggestion 
is  put  into  effect  as  soon  as  practicable.  If  an  employee  feels 
that  his  suggestion  has  not  received  fair  consideration,  his 
complaint  is  handled  personally  by  a  member  of  the  suggestion 
department. 

Prizes  for  the  Six  Months'  Suggestion  Contests 

The  prizes  given  by  the  company  fall  into  the  following 
classes : 

1.  The  best  adopted  suggestion  or  suggestions  brings  an 

award  of  $100  to  the  employee  making  it. 

2.  The  next  best  adopted  suggestion  receives  $75. 

3.  The  next  best  adopted  suggestion  receives-  $50. 

4.  The  two  employees  having  the  next  best  adopted  sug- 

gestions receive  $30  each. 

5.  The  three  employees  having  the  next  best  adopted 

suggestions  receive  $25  each. 

6.  The  seven  employees  having  the  next  best  adopted 

suggestions  receive  $20  each. 

7.  The  fifty  employees  having  the  next  best  adopted  sug- 

gestions receive  $5  each. 

8.  In  addition  to  the  above,  $i  is  given  for  each  adopted 

suggestion  to  those  who  do  not  win  one  of  the  larger 


272  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

prizes.  All  the  adopted  suggestions  submitted  by  an 
employee  are  considered  together  in  awarding  prizes, 
so  that  one  might  submit  a  number  of  minor  sug- 
gestions and  still  win  a  big  prize.  A  committee  of 
eight  decides  on  the  value  of  each  suggestion. 

A  special  banner  is  awarded  to  a  department  on  the 
basis  of: 

1.  The  total  prize  money. 

2.  The  number  of  prize-winners. 

3.  Number  of  adopted  suggestions. 

4.  Average  prize  money  per  adopted  suggestions. 

5.  Average  prize  money  per  employee  in  the  department. 

A  unique  contest  also  arranged  by  this  company  was  pre- 
pared for  July  I,  1919,  when  $200  in  prizes  were  given  "to 
the  mothers,  wives,  sisters,  and  daughters  of  N.  C.  R.  em- 
ployees, except  those  employed  at  the  factory."  A  total  of 
57  prizes  was  given  as  follows:  one  prize  of  $25,  one  prize 
of  $20,  one  prize  of  $15,  three  prizes  of  $10  each,  six  prizes 
of  $5  each,  ten  prizes  of  $3  each,  fifteen  prizes  of  $2  each, 
twenty  prizes  of  $i  each. 

These  prizes  were  given  for  suggestions  on  "all  subjects 
pertaining  to  the  company's  business."  The  following  sub- 
jects were  given  as  an  aid  in  making  such  suggestions: 

1.  Increasing  co-operation. 

2.  How  can  we  promote  community  welfare? 

3.  How  can  we  promote  the  school  interests? 

4.  How  can  the  conditions  of  the  factory  be  improved? 

5.  How  can  we  improve  the  health  of  our  employees? 

6.  How  can  the  suggestion  plan  and  the  prize  distribution 

be  improved  and  made  more  helpful  and  more 
interesting? 


DEVELOPING  A   SUGGESTION   SYSTEM 


273 


Other  Suggestion  Systems 

Other  industrial  concerns  have  recognized  the  value  of 
rewarding  good  suggestions  and,  like  a  prominent  Eastern 
plant,  set  a  definite  sum  for  certain  classes  of  suggestions. 
At  this  company  all  suggestions  are  considered  by  a  safety 
and  suggestion  council  of  which  the  superintendent  of  the 
service  department  is  secretary.  There  are  four  classes  of 
suggestions  as  follows: 


Class 

Estimated  to 
Return  Net 
Annual  Saving  of 

Award 

I 

$250  or  over 

$2 

II 

i  00—200 

2O 

III 

50—100 

IO 

IV 

5 

An  annual  award  of  $100  is  to  be  given  in  case  there  are 
at  least  five  Class  I  suggestions. 

An  honor  list  posted  monthly  contains  the  names  of 
workers  whose  suggestions  were  good  in  themselves  but  which 
the  company  could  not  adopt. 

Another  concern  makes  money  awards  only  for  sugges- 
tions which  will  increase  output  or  effect  savings.  Suggestions 
which  concern  the  general  conditions  of  employment  are  recog- 
nized by  a  roll  of  honor  posted  on  bulletin-boards  and  noted 
in  the  employees'  newspaper. 

The  Hercules  Powder  Company  gives  annual  bonuses  of 
common  stock  of  the  company  for  original  suggestions. 

The  Northern  Connecticut  Light  and  Power  Company, 
Thompsonville,  Connecticut,  pays  $i  for  each  idea  or  sug- 
gestion relating  to  improvements  in  service,  or  changes  in 
present  methods  of  construction,  operation,  office  work,  or 
public  policy,  which  result  in  the  saving  of  time  or  material. 


274  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

Payments  are  made  each  month  for  such  suggestions  as  are 
adopted  and  put  in  force. 

The  Commonwealth  Edison  Company,  Chicago,  pays  one 
dollar  for  each  accepted  suggestion  tending  to  further  the 
interests  of  the  company  in  the  way  of  improvements  in 
service,  increased  safety,  reduction  of  expenses,  securing  new 
business,  and  so  on.  Executives  and  their  assistants  are  not 
entitled  to  these  cash  awards  when  their  suggestions  are  for 
improvements  in  their  own  work,  as  such  suggestions  are 
included  in  the  duties  of  their  respective  positions. 

A  Good  Suggestion  Well  Worth  Its  Cost 

The  suggestion  system  may  be  made  a  thing  of  value  to 
the  organization.  It  gives  an  opportunity  for  free  and  helpful 
exchange  of  ideas.  It  keeps  an  organization  from  dying  at 
the  top.  For  these  reasons  much  effort  is  justified  to  give 
suggestion  work  the  scope  that  it  should  have.  Time  may 
be  needed  before  any  real  results  show.  But  the  by-products 
will  more  than  repay  all  outlay  of  time  and  effort. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

THE  EMPLOYEES'  LUNCHROOM  AND 
RESTAURANT 

Importance  of  Food  upon  Labor  Maintenance 

The  matter  of  proper  food  for  industrial  workers  is  of 
prime  importance  in  any  study  of  labor  maintenance.  The 
fitness  of  the  worker  is  as  much  dependent  upon  the  food 
he  eats  as  upon  the  other  factors  considered  in  this  volume. 
The  industrial  worker  needs  energy  and  that  is  largely  a 
matter  of  food.  Too  often  we  find  workers  depending  upon 
a  cold  lunch  consisting  of  a  sandwich  or  two,  and  something 
that  satisfies  but  does  not  nourish;  and  this  lunch  is  eaten 
under  conditions  that  are  unattractive  to  say  the  least.  Not 
long  ago  the  author  visited  a  factory  employing  several 
hundred  men  and  women,  chiefly  women.  When  the  noon- 
hour  whistle  blew  comparatively  few  employees  left  the  build- 
ing; few  of  them  lived  near  enough  to  be  able  to  go  home 
for  their  lunches.  But  the  condition  which  brought  itself 
forcefully  to  the  attention  of  the  author  was  the  manner  in 
which  employees  had  to  eat  their  lunch.  Not  only  did  the 
men  and  women  eat  at  their  work-benches  (no  special  room 
was  provided  for  the  purpose)  but  as  no  lockers  were  provided, 
the  lunches  were  taken  out  of  the  drawers  of  work-benches, 
from  window-sills,  and  other  odd  places  of  storage.  The 
wages  in  this  concern  were  good,  the  employer  had  always 
treated  his  employees  well;  but  what  disturbed  him  was  the 
unusually  large  labor  turnover,  and  the  poor  production 
records  of  many  employees.  While  such  records  were  owing, 
in  part,  to  lack  of  systematic  training  of  new  workers,  it  is 

275 


276  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

fair  to  state  that  the  conditions  under  which  employees  had 
to  eat,  and  the  lack  of  nourishing  food,  especially  hot  food 
at  noon,  were  responsible  for  the  poor  workmanship.  When 
the  author  questioned  many  of  the  employees,  he  found  that 
because  of  this  very  matter  they  considered  their  stay  with 
this  particular  company  only  temporary.  The  head  of  the 
concern,  when  made  aware  of  this  condition,  immediately 
arranged  for  a  room  and  equipment  so  that  the  women  em- 
ployees could  heat  their  food.  This  was  only  a  makeshift 
but  it  helped  considerably  in  improving  the  spirit  as  well  as 
the  workmanship  of  employees. 

In  another  concern  employing  over  3,000  men,  the  plant 
physician  and  the  visiting  nurse  discovered  many  cases  of 
absence  and  of  stomach  trouble  were  due  to  improper  food. 
This  food  was  either  brought  from  home,  and,  because  of  the 
lack  of  a  suitable  place  to  keep  it,  had  spoiled  by  noontime, 
or  was  purchased  at  one  of  the  cheap  shops  adjacent  to  the 
plant.  A  cafeteria  was  established  by  the  company  and  good, 
palatable  food  was  offered  at  low  prices.  The  result  was  a 
perceptible  drop  in  the  number  of  absences  because  of  illness. 

Findings  of  British  War  Ministry 

This  is  the  usual  story.  Employers  are  learning  that  it 
pays  to  provide  their  employees  with  energy-giving  food  even 
if  it  means  a  deficit  in  the  .operation  of  the  lunchroom  or 
cafeteria.  During  the  war  the  British  Ministry  of  Munitions 
made  a  thorough  study  of  the  question  of  industrial  restaurants 
and  found  that  among  the  direct  benefits  were : 

1.  Marked  improvement  in  the  health  of  the  worker. 

2.  Less  sickness. 

3.  Fewer  absences  and  less  broken  time. 

4.  Diminished  tendency  to  alcoholism. 

5.  Increased  efficiency  and  output. 


EMPLOYEES'  LUNCHROOM  AND  RESTAURANT     277 

Among  the  indirect  benefits  they  found: 

1.  Considerable  time  saved  for  the  workers. 

2.  A  salutary  change  from  the  workshop. 

3.  Greater  contentment  among  the  workers. 

4.  Better  midday  ventilation  of  workshops. 

5.  Increased  recreational  activities  in  spare  time. 

A  Good  Business  Policy 

That  provision  of  good  and  varied  food  for  workers  at 
reasonable  cost  is  part  of  sound  employment  policy,  is  the 
consensus  of  opinion  of  enlightened  management.  To  make 
such  provision  even  at  an  immediate  financial  loss,  involves 
no  philanthropy.  No  humanitarian  motives  are  necessary. 
The  object  to  be  sought  is  maintenance  of  the  highest  efficiency 
of  the  worker.  The  following  examples  are  not  intended 
to  include  all  concerns  which  have  arrangements  for  employees 
but  only  to  point  out  some  important  features  in  the  ad- 
ministration of  employees'  restaurants. 

The  Fierce-Arrow  Company 

The  Fierce-Arrow  Motor  Car  Company  provides  a  good 
dinner  for  its  men  in  the  belief  that  men  who  work  hard  need 
a  good  dinner  at  noon,  not  merely  a  light,  cold  lunch.  The 
nominal  charge  made  does  not  cover  the  cost.  The  meal 
consists  of  soup,  meat,  potatoes,  various  vegetables,  such  as 
rice,  beans,  or  turnips,  bread  and  butter,  and  tea,  coffee,  or 
milk.  A  man  may  take  as  much  as  he  wishes.  The  menu 
is  changed  daily,  an  important  point  to  be  remembered. 

The  method  employed  for  waiting  on  the  men  is  an  in- 
genious one.  The  room  contains  35  tables,  each  table  capable 
of  seating  25  men.  One  waiter  is  assigned  to  each  table.  The 
waiters  are  workers  in  the  plant.  They  leave  their  regular 
work  at  11:15  A.M.,  and  at  fifteen  minutes  later  have  their 


LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

lunch — which  is  furnished  to  them  free.  From  12  o'clock 
to  12:30  they  wait  on  the  tables;  and  from  12:30  to  I :oo  P.M., 
they  have  their  noon  recess.  They  are  paid  their  regular 
wages,  and  no  time  is  deducted  except  for  the  half -hour  recess. 
One  of  the  best  examples  of  restaurants  for  employees  is 
found  at  the  Curtis  Publishing  Company  which  maintains 
several  restaurants  in  its  building.  In  one  reserved  for  women, 
about  1,100  take  their  lunch  every  day.  In  another,  about 
1,000  men  are  served  daily.  Altogether  about  75  per  cent  of 
the  employees  make  use  of  the  facilities  here  offered.  The 
cost  per  meal  to  employees  is  very  low  and  the  company  makes 
up  the  deficit. 

The  National  Cash  Register  Company's  Lunchroom 

Of  the  employees  of  the  National  Cash  Register  Company, 
about  5,000  live  sufficiently  close  to  the  factory  to  go  home 
to  lunch ;  some  bring  their  lunches,  or  eat  at  a  boarding-house 
near  the  factory. 

But  for  those  who  cannot,  or  do  not  want  to  do  any 
of  these  things  the  company  operates  three  distinct  lunch- 
rooms: 

1.  An  officers'  club  dining-room  where  about  150  heads 

of  departments,  supervisors,  foremen,  assistant  fore- 
men, and  others  in  responsible  positions  take  their 
noonday  meal.  The  dues  are  $10  a  month  for 
twenty  meals. 

2.  An  employees'  dining-hall  for  the  rank  and  file.  About 

1,500  men  eat  here  daily.  The  charge  is  30  cents 
a  meal. 

3.  A  girls'  dining-room  accommodating  about  500.    The 

charge  for  each  meal  is  15  cents. 

The  lunchrooms  of  this  company  have  never  been  operated 
with  the  idea  that  they  would  pay  financially.  In  fact,  the 


EMPLOYEES'  LUNCHROOM  AND  RESTAURANT     279 

company  operates  at  a  loss  because  its  prices  to  employees  do 
not  conform  to  the  cost  of  foodstuffs  and  labor.  The  average 
loss  for  the  first  five  months  of  this  year  for  all  three  of  the 
lunchrooms,  including  the  loss  on  foodstuffs,  cost  of  prepara- 
tion, serving,  equipment,  and  incidental  costs  is  $3,704.97  a 
month.  The  commissary  department  chart  (Figure  25)  out- 
lines the  history,  organization,  equipment,  and  results  of  the 
National  Cash  Register  Company's  department. 

Commonwealth  Steel  Company's  Plan 

Officials  of  the  Commonwealth  Steel  Company  believe 
heartily  in  the  value  of  wholesome  food  for  their  men  and 
so  serve  food  to  their  employees  at  cost.  The  restaurant  of 
the  company  is  used  by  men  from  all  parts  of  the  plant,  who 
are  thus  brought  into  closer  relationship  than  otherwise.  An 
atmosphere  of  cheerfulness  and  friendship  pervades  it. 

In  addition  to  the  poontime  lunch,  meals  are  served  in  the 
morning,  at  night,  and  at  midnight.  According  to  the  monthly 
figures,  the  average  cost  to  employees  has  been  as  low  as 
17  cents  a  meal;  but  the  present  figure  is  higher.  About  1,200 
meals  are  served  daily.  The  cafeteria  method  is  used.  A 
Victrola,  and  occasionally  the  employees'  band,  provide  music 
during  the  noon-hour.  Not  only  is  the  restaurant  used  for 
regular  meals  but  the  banquets  of  the  employees'  Fellowship 
Club  are  held  there. 

For  those  who  bring  their  lunches  from  home  the  company 
provides  a  special  lunchroom  where  the  same  type  of  equip- 
ment in  the  way  of  tables,  etc.,  is  provided,  as  exists  in  the 
main  dining-room  which  adjoins  it. 

Further  Lunchroom  Plans 

The  National  Lamp  Association  of  the  General  Electric 
Company  has  a  standard  cafeteria  service  in  each  of  the  plants 
of  the  several  divisions,  and  provides  substantial  lunches  to 


280 


LABOR   MAINTENANCE 


Commissary 
Department 


Object:     To  promote  employees'  efficiency 
by  serving  wholesome  lunches  at  cost  of  food  and  service. 


^r                                                     ^X- 

How 
Department 
Started 

N.  C.  R. 
Dining  Rooms 
Today 

N.  C.  R. 

Kitchens 

N.  C.  R. 
Gardens 

Remits 

In  the  early  days  of 
the    Company,    trouble 
was    experienced    with 
the  completed  product. 
Thousands     of  dollars' 
worth  of  cash  registers 
were   returned    due   to 
defects  in  construction. 
An     analysis     of     the 
trouble  showed: 

Located  on  the  tenth 
floor      of      the     Office 
Bldg.    are   two    dining 
rooms: 
1.  Officers'  Club  Din- 
ing Room: 
150   Supervisors,  de- 
partment   heads    and 
assistants     take     their 
daily  luncheon  here  at 

Kitchen     No.     10 
(Officers'    Club    and 
Girls'  Dining  Rooms). 
Employees  —  7      men, 

Kitchen     No.     18 
(Men's  Dining  Room). 
Employees  —  11   men, 
17  women. 

Supply  a  considerable 
part     of     the     garden 
truck      used      in      the 
Commissary       Depart- 
ment. 

Number     of     e  m  - 
ployees,  5. 

40  acres   of  ground. 

Has     promoted     the 
well-being  of  the  em- 
ployees   by  providing 
simple,  wholesome  food. 
This   has   resulted   in: 

1.  Better  health. 

2.  Increased 

1.  That    poor    -work 
was  the  result  of  poor 
working    conditions, 

a  price  of  50c.     In  ad- 
d  i  t  i  on    distinguished 
visitors  are  entertained 

Equipment   for 
both  kitchens: 
Electric  dish  washing 

Overhead      sprinkler 
system. 

efficiency. 
3..  Improved  product. 

and, 

here  as  guests  of  the 

machines. 

Produce  raised  in  1918: 

lunches    at    the    work 
bench      lessened      the 

Company. 
2.  GJrls'   Dining 
RoomT 

Electric    scrubbing 
machines. 
Electric    bread    and 

Potatoes,,  2,000  bushels. 
Tomatoes,  1,500  bushels. 

production. 

efficiency     of     the 

An    average   of   600 

meat  cutters. 

Cabbage,    2,000  barrels. 

Working     conditions 
were  at  once  improved. 
The   Company   ordered 
hot  soup  served  to  all 
women  employees. 

girls  are  served  warm 
luncheons  daily  at  15c 
each.      In    addition,   a 
cafeteria      service      is 
conducted,  and  a  charge 
of   3c   made  for   each 

Steam  kettles: 
4     100-gallon    steam 
kettles. 
3     60-gallon     steam 
kettles. 
1     40-gallon    .steam 

Beets  ....    300  bushels. 
Turnips  ..  300  bushels. 
Lettuce    .  .      8  tons. 
Carrots  .  .    250  bushels. 

Statistics  for  1918 

Number     of     meals 

In    18%,    a    dining 
room    was    opened    on 
the  third  floor  of  Bldg. 
No.   1,  where   a  lunch 
consisting   of   two   hot 
dishes  and  a  hot  drink 
was  served.     This  cost 

dish. 
Men's  Dining  Room: 
The     Dining     Room 
has  a  seating  capacity 
of  1,350.      Hot  lunches 
are  served  at  less  than 

kettle. 
5  Vegetable     steam- 
ers, 9-bushel  capacity. 
2    Electric    pota-to 
peelers,    1  -bush  el 
capacity. 
Gas  ranges. 

Celery.  .  .40,000  stalks.^ 
Sweet 
Corn,  7,000  ears. 
Asparagus  .  .  3  tons. 
English 

served  in: 

Officers'  Club 
Dining  Room,      34,589 

Guests    ....      2,447 

each  girl  five  cents  per 
week.       Each     girl 
brought  her  own  bread 
and  butter  from  home. 

cost  price—  30c.      This 
dining    room    is    a 
modern    cafeteria    and 
100  men  can  be  served 

Cold   storage  plants. 
Brine      system      Ice 
Cream      Freezer,      10- 
gallon  capacity. 

Marrow,  3,000. 
Pumpkins  3iOOO. 
Spinach    .    200  barrels. 

Girls'  Dining 
Room  122,601 

Men's  Dining 

October    1,    1903,    a 

per  minute. 

Meat  broilers. 

Radishes    .    75  bushels. 

Room  274,654 

new   dining  room   was 
opened  for  the  men  of 

Dinners    are    served 
from  Monday  to  Friday 

•Baker  shop: 
Gas    or    coke    oven, 

Onions   ..    400  bushels. 

the   office   departments 
and  the  assistant  heads 
and  clerks  of  the  Fac- 
tory.      The    following 
was  an  average  menu: 

inclusive. 
Box     lunches     are 
served  to  men  in  those 
departments    in    which 
the  men,  because  of  the 

capacity   250   loavws. 
1    2-barrel    dough 
mixer. 
1  pastry  mixer. 
Bakes  all  bread,  rolls, 

Mangoes,    oyster 
plant,  pickles,  rhubarb, 
parsley,    dill,    sweet 
•marjory. 

Mtals     served 

to   help,   orchea-.; 

workers,  etc.,  for 

Bean  soup 
Roast  beef 
Mashed  potatoes 

nature   of   their  work, 
cannot    conveniently 
patronize     the     dining 

cakes,  pies,  and  makes 
all   ice  cream-  for  the 
three  dining  rooms. 

Value    of    produce 
raised  in  1918,  $25,000. 

which  no  charge 
was  .made  97,589 

Bread  and  butter 
Baked  apples 
Coffee  or  milk 
The  charge  was  50c 

room. 
Lunches   are  packed 
in     paraffined,     paper- 
lined   boxes,    coffee    or 

Waitresses:   35   girls 
employed    in    the 
factory  departments 
serve  as  waitresses  in 

Approximate  net 
profit    from     gardens, 
$20,000. 

Special  lunches, 
lunches   for   chil- 

per  week  to  employees 
earning  $12.50  or  less; 

soup     in    bottles     and 
placed  on  hot  plates  in 

the  Girls'  Dining  Room. 

drep,    banquets, 
etc*               -         26  940 

75c    to    those    earning 

closed    trucks   and   de- 

from the  Plant  Inspec- 

more. 
June  20,   1905,  Wei- 

livered  to  the  men  at 
cost.     • 

tion  Department  serve 
as     waiters     in     the 

Grand  total       658,820 

fare  Hall,  a  new  dining  . 

Night    lunches    are 

Officers'     Club     Dining 

and  women,  -was  dedi- 

workers  at  less;   than 

shave,  bathe,  and  mani- 

cated.     This    hall 

cost,     and     gratis     to 

cure  their  nails  before 

accommodated   2,000 

s  t  r  a'i  g  h  t    t  \  ID  e 

serving.     Clean  suits 

persons  at  one  time. 

employees. 

are  furnished  each  day. 

Figure  25.     Commissary  Department  Chart 

Showing  _the  history,    organization,    equipment,    and   results   of   National   Cash  Register 
Company's  Department. 


EMPLOYEES'  LUNCHROOM  AND  RESTAURANT     281 

male  and  female  employees.  The  average  cost  per  person  is 
much  less  than  that  of  the  same  amount  and  variety  of  whole- 
some, well-cooked  food  at  home  or  at  any  outside  restaurant. 

At  the  Jeffrey  Manufacturing  Company  about  800  persons 
are  served  daily;  there  are  two  complete  lunchroom  units. 
The  bread,  pies,  and  pastry  are  baked  in  the  employees'  bakery. 

The  Joseph  and  Feiss  Company,  Cleveland,  has  separate 
lunchrooms  for  men  and  for  women.  Many  employees  bring 
their  own  lunches  and  supplement  them  by  soup,  coffee,  or 
fruit  furnished  at  actual  cost.  Special  box-lunches  consisting 
of  two  sandwiches,  a  relish,  pie,  and  fruit,  are  served  at  a 
nominal  sum.  Each  table  has  someone  in  charge  to  help 
promote  sociability  and  see  that  new  employees  are  introduced 
and  made  at  home. 

At  the  United  Shoe  Machinery  Company  of  Beverly, 
Massachusetts,  good  food  at  reasonable  prices  is  served  in  a 
large  restaurant.  The  vegetables  are  grown  in  the  company 
gardens.  For  those  who  bring  their  own  lunches  facilities  are 
provided  for  heating  the  food  as  well  as  rooms  in  which  to 
eat  it. 

The  women  employees  in  the  office  of  the  Southern  Flour 
Mill  are  encouraged  to  learn  housekeeping  while  they  prepare 
their  noonday  meal  in  a  well- furnished  kitchen  in  the  office 
building.  They  work  in  squads,  taking  turns  at  setting  and 
clearing  the  tables,  cooking,  and  serving  the  meals. 

The  Hamilton  Watch  Company  at  Lancaster,  Pennsyl- 
vania, maintains  lunchrooms  where  coffee,  or  tea,  with  cream 
and  sugar,  is  furnished  free  at  the  noon-hour. 

The  Westinghouse  Electric  and  Manufacturing  Company 
also  distributes  free  coffee  to  its  female  employees  in  their 
lunchrooms. 

The  Cleveland  Worsted  Mills  Company  serves  soup,  coffee, 
milk,  sandwiches,  pastry,  fruit,  and  ice-cream  to  between  five 
hundred  and  six  hundred  employees  daily.  The  dining-room 


282  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

has  a  seating  capacity  of  656  and  is  used  by  about  half  of  the 
office  and  factory  employees. 

At  Joseph  Bancroft  and  Sons  Company,  Wilmington, 
Delaware,  a  regular  dining-room  is  provided  in  the  building 
set  aside  for  employees.  The  price  of  the  noon  meal  is  20 
cents  for  men  and  15  cents  for  women.  Meals  are  served  by 
waitresses.  The  room  is  plain  but  attractive,  the  walls  are 
painted,  and  the  ceiling  is  of  standard  mill  construction. 
Special  tables  are  provided  in  another  room  for  those  who 
bring  their  own  lunches. 

The  cafeteria  of  the  Ohio  Malleable  Steel  Company, 
Columbus,  Ohio,  is  one  of  the  best  in  the  country. 

The  Cadillac  Motor  Car  Company  operates  the  restaurant 
in  two  sections  on  the  cafeteria  plan.  In  one  section  food 
is  served  in  portions  at  3  4/7  cents  each  (7  tickets  for  25 
cents).  In  the  other  section  the  price  of  each  portion  is 
5  cents.1 

Percentage  of  Employees  Using  Restaurant 

While  employees'  lunchrooms  may  be  conducted  in  plants 
of  any  size,  it  is  hardly  practicable  to  operate  a  restaurant 
where  the  number  of  employees  is  less  than  200.  The  general 
experience  throughout  the  country  in  plants  of  all  sizes,  is 


1  Among  other  concerns  which  provide  special  lunchrooms  and  cafeterias  for 
workers,  may  be  mentioned:  Bauer  and  Black,  Chicago,  111.;  Wisconsin  Steel 
Company,  Chicago,  111.;  Detroit  Telephone  Company,  Detroit,  Mich.;  Premier-Motor 
Company,  Indianapolis,  Ind. ;  Postum  Cereal  Company,  Battle  Creek,  Midi. ;  Parke, 
Davis  Company,  Detroit,  Mich.;  Air  Nitrates  Corporation,  Ancor,  Ohio;  Holeproof 
Hosiery  Company,  Milwaukee,  Wis.;  Standard  Steel  Car  Company,  Hammond,  Ind.; 
Continental  Can  Company,  Clearing,  111.;  American  Sheet  and  Tin  Plate  Company, 
Pittsburgh,  Pa.;  Cudahy  Packing  Company,  Chicago,  111.;  Kellogg  Toasted  Corn 
Flake  Company,  Battle  Creek,  Mich.;  Link  Belt  Company,  Chicago,  111.;  Bemis 
Bag  Company,  St.  Louis,  Mo.;  Duesenberg  Motors  Corporation,  Elizabeth,  N.  J. ; 
National  Malleable  Company,  Toledo,  Ohio;  Reliance  Manufacturing  Company, 
Reliance,  Ohio;  Champion  Ignition  Company,  Flint,  Mich.;  American  Radiator  Com- 
pany, Bremen,  Ind.;  Linderman  Steel  and  Machine  Company,  Muskegon,  Mich.; 
Hydraulic  Pressed  Steel  Company,  Cleveland,  Ohio;  Armour  and  Company,  Omaha, 
Nebr.;  Prudden  Wheel  Company,  Lansing,  Mich.;  Larkin  Company,  Chicago,  111.; 
Wayne  Company,  Farlet,  Ohio;  Pensacola  Shipbuilding  Company,  Pensacola,  Fla.; 
Illinois  Steel  Company,  South  Chicago,  111.;  Burroughs  Adding  Machine  Company, 
Chicago,  111.;  Union  Switch  and  Signal  Company,  Swissvale,  Pa.;  Reo  Motor 
Company,  Lansing,  Mich.;  American  International  Shipbuilding  Company,  Hog 
Island,  Pa.;  Submarine  Boat  Company,  Newark,  N.  J.;  Merchant  Shipbuilding 
Corporation,  Harriman,  Pa.  • 


EMPLOYEES'  LUNCHROOM  AND  RESTAURANT     283 

that  only  from  33  to  40  per  cent  of  the  total  number  employed 
will  take  advantage  of  plant  restaurants.  In  some  concerns 
it  is  even  as  small  as  25  per  cent. 

Cost  and  Selling  Prices 

It  is  difficult  to  estimate  the  cost  of  fitting  up  a  restaurant 
for  there  are  several  classes  of  equipment  which  vary  widely 
in  price.  It  is  not  advisable  for  an  industrial  concern  to 
install  a  plant  restaurant  if  it  experts  to  operate  without  a 
loss,  or  to  show  a  small  profit;  because  foods,  as  a  rule,  are 
sold  for  a  much  lower  price  than  in  public  restaurants  and 
much  larger  portions  are  given.  The  cost  of  food  is  about 
60  per  cent  of  the  selling  price,  and  the  overhead  expenses 
including  labor  are  about  30  per  cent.  This  leaves  a  margin 
of  10  per  cent  to  be  used  as  a  rolling  fund  to  overcome  the 
fluctuation  in  the  cost  of  merchandise  and  operating  expense, 
for  it  is  hardly  possible  to  purchase  all  materials  for  the  same 
price  at  all  seasons  of  the  year. 

The  great  difficulty  in  the  operation  of  plant  restaurants 
is  the  question  of  the  prices  of  foods.  If  the  restaurant  (in 
order  to  keep  up  with  the  advancing  rates  of  foodstuffs)  raises 
its  prices,  the  employee  begins  to  feel  that  the  restaurant  is 
being  run  at  a  profit.  Because  of  this  attitude  of  the  worker 
a  number  of  plants  are  selling  food  at  the  same  price  they 
did  a  few  years  ago,  although  it  means  a  considerable  financial 
loss;  indeed,  in  some  places,  the  loss  is  as  high  as  $1,000  a 
week.  This  loss  is  charged  off  to  the  service  department,  if 
there  is  one,  or  to  the  general  employees'  service  work. 

Farming  Out  Restaurant  Privileges 

Some  firms  make  arrangements  with  outside  caterers  to 
furnish  food  and  manage  the  restaurant;  but  this  practice 
should  be  discouraged.  It  has  many  attendant  evils.  In  the 
first  place  if  the  restaurant  is  conducted  on  a  profit-making 


284  LABOR  MAINTENANCE 

basis,  the  price  for  food  must  be  high  or  the  quality  of  food 
must  suffer.  Further,  the  caterer  does  not  have  the  personal 
interest  in  the  employees  which  the  company  itself  would  have. 
The  author  knows  of  several  plants  which  have  had  disastrous 
experiences  with  profit-making  purveyors  of  food.  In  one 
case  a  serious  strike  was  threatened  by  employees  who,  because 
of  the  location  of  the  plant,  had  to  depend  for  their  noonday 
meal  upon  the  employees'  restaurant  where  the  poor  quality 
of  food  poisoned  several  and  made  many  more  ill.  An  em- 
ployees' restaurant  should  never  be  conducted  for  profit.  This 
is  fundamental  to  the  success  of  the  enterprise. 

A  recent  report  of  the  Emergency  Fleet  Corporation  on 
organization  of  restaurants  has  this  to  say  of  the  evils  of 
farming  out  restaurant  privileges: 

There  is  almost  always  grave  danger  of  profiteering  at 
the  expense  of  the  workmen  and  indirectly  at  the  expense 
of  the  employer  also.  There  probably  are  a  few  exceptions 
to  this  rule,  but  experience  here  and  abroad  indicates  that 
the  company  should  almost  invariably  itself  appoint  and 
directly  control  the  restaurant  manager,  if  the  best  results 
are  to  be  obtained  at  the  lowest  cost  to  the  men.  In  any 
arrangement  whereby  the  manager  gets  a  definite  percentage 
of  profit  over  and  above  all  expense,  a  temptation  is  offered 
to  an  unscrupulous  manager  to  increase  rather  than  decrease 
the  outlays  for  food,  service,  etc. 

Method  of  Service — Cafeteria  or  Serving  Counter 

The  number  of  employees  necessary  for  the  preparation 
and  dispensing  of  food  in  an  industrial  canteen,  operated  on 
the  cafeteria  plan,  should  not  much  exceed  30  for  every  1,000 
persons  served  at  one  sitting.  The  proportion  will,  of  course, 
vary  with  the  size  of  the  cafeteria,  proportionately  more  em- 
ployees being  necessary  in  the  smaller  canteens.  If  special 
waiter  service  is  desirable  or  necessary  for  a  considerable 
force  of  administration  and  clerical  employees,  superin- 


EMPLOYEES'  LUNCHROOM  AND  RESTAURANT     285 

tendents,  foremen,  etc.,  then  the  canteen  staff  will  require  to 
be  correspondingly  enlarged.  In  most  cases  the  cafeteria  or 
self-service  plan  should  be  adaptable  to  practically  all  the 
employees  of  the  plant.  A  separate  serving-counter  and  din- 
ing-room for  the  officials  and  clerical  staff  in  the  larger  plants 
may  prove  of  advantage.  An  extra  charge  should  be  made 
for  meals  where  the  method  of  service  is  more  expensive, 
even  though  the  food  served  is  exactly  the  same  in  quantity 
and  quality  as  that  supplied  to  the  men  in  the  main  dining- 
rooms  and  mess-halls. 


Essential  Requirements  of  a  Successful  Restaurant 

The  best  experience  recommends  the  desirability  of 
workers  eating  their  lunches  under  the  most  attractive  condi- 
tions possible — away  from  the  work-bench.  The  successful 
lunchroom  is  clean,  will-lighted,  well-ventilated,  and  equipped 
with  furniture  that  can  be  kept  in  sanitary  condition  easily. 

Commenting  on  the  essential  requirements  of  a  successful 
workers'  restaurant,  the  report  of  The  Emergency  Fleet  Cor- 
poration makes  the  following  summary: 

Convenient  location.  The  restaurant  must  be  convenient 
to  the  workmen. 

Attractiveness.  It  must  be  attractive,  light,  airy,  well- 
spaced,  and  with  plain  but  neat,  clean,  and  attractive  equip- 
ment. 

Prompt  service.  Service  must  be  prompt.  Slow  service 
is  certain  to  make  the  work's  restaurant  a  failure. 

Hours.  The  restaurant  should  be  open  at  all  hours  when 
there  are  night  shifts.  Coffee,  tea,  cocoa,  and  milk  should 
be  obtainable  at  any  time. 

Food.  The  food  served  should  be  of  first-class  quality- 
fresh,  properly  prepared  and  cooked,  appetizing,  and  of  good 
variety. 

Prices.  The  price  of  the  food  to  the  workmen  should 
be  so  low  as  merely  to  cover  cost,  or  at  most  to  provide 


286  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

only  a  small  margin  above  cost.  The  price  of  any  given 
meal  or  articles  of  food  should  be  prominently  displayed. 
This  is  essential  for  prompt  and  satisfactory  service. 

Payment  for  food.  The  method  of  payment  for  meals 
should  be  simple,  preferably  by  ticket  or  check  with  the 
meal  and  payment  of  cash  to  cashier  on  exit.  Tickets 
purchased  in  advance  save  the  workmen  from  carrying  much 
change  in  work  clothes. 

Management.  First  and  last  the  success  or  failure  of  the 
works  restaurant  is  dependent  upon  the  manager. 

A  further  point  to  be  emphasized  here  is  the  importance 
of  having  a  committee  of  employees  elected  from  the  body 
of  workers — including  representatives  of  the  office  workers' 
force — to  act  as  an  advisory  committee  to  the  management 
on  problems  affecting  the  success  of  the  restaurant.  Sugges- 
tions for  the  improvement  of  the  restaurant  service,  the  nature 
of  the  menus  offered,  the  care  of  restaurant  property,  the 
use  of  the  restaurant  for  special  occasions,  and  other  related 
matters  should  come  under  the  jurisdiction  of  this  committee. 
Some  concerns  allow  meals  without  charge  to  members  of 
this  committee  in  return  for  their  service  on  the  committee. 
Such  a  committee  can  do  much  in  establishing  and  main- 
taining the  right  relations  between  workers  and  the  restaurant. 
In  one  concern  known  to  the  author,  where  3,000  are  employed, 
the  entire  management  of  the  restaurant,  including  its  finances, 
is  in  the  hands  of  the  employees  and  has  been  for  several 
years.  The  employees  have  hired  an  experienced  manager  for 
the  work  and  he  does  all  the  buying,  supervises  the  cooking, 
and  attends  to  the  other  details  of  administration  subject  to 
the  direct  control  of  the  employees  through  a  special  com- 
mittee which  reports  to  the  association  of  employees. 

Equipment 

Experience  has  indicated  that  the  cafeteria  method  is  the 
most  convenient,  economical,  and  efficient  mode  of  operation. 


EMPLOYEES'  LUNCHROOM  AND  RESTAURANT     287 

It  enables  a  firm  to  give  quick  service  to  large  numbers  at 
a  low  overhead  cost.  By  far  the  greatest  number  of  industrial 
concerns  use  this  form  of  service.  Suitable  tables  are  provided 
throughout  the  room  so  that  employees,  after  securing  the 
food  they  desire,  can  eat  in  comfort. 

It  has  been  found  by  corporations  which  have  experimented 
with  various  types  of  lunchrooms  for  employees  that  even 
where  a  regular  restaurant  would  fail  to  meet  its  expense, 
the  cafeteria  generally  would  come  out  ahead.  And  what  is 
most  important  is  that  the  cafeteria  seems  to  be  the  most 
popular  form  of  arrangement  with  employees.  A  single 
counter  has  an  approximate  -  capacity  of  from  200  to  300 
persons  every  30  minutes,  depending  upon  the  skill  of  those 
who  serve  the  food.  Then  again  it  enables  a  display  of  food 
so  that  as  the  worker  passes  along  the  counter  he  can  choose 
what  he  wants  with  little  delay. 

The  kind  of  tables  found  most  satisfactory  are  those  with 
white  glass  tops,  for  they  look  and  wear  well  and  are  easy 
to  keep  clean.  Some  concerns  use  tables  with  enameled  metal 
tops  but  these  are  apt  to  become  chipped  and  unsightly  as 
well  as  unsanitary.  As  for  seating  arrangements,  individual 
chairs  are  best.  All  counters  should  be  raised  about  6  inches 
above  the  floor  to  allow  good  ventilation  and  easy  cleaning. 
The  walls  of  the  room  should  be  painted  with  waterproof 
oil  paint  of  a  light  color;  this  will  allow  frequent  washing. 
The  floor  that  has  proved  best  is  concrete  or  a  composition. 

Modern  equipment  for  the  kitchen  includes  a  refrigerator 
with  several  compartments  for  separate  storage  of  meat,  dairy 
products,  and  vegetables.  Another  valuable  piece  of  equip- 
ment is  an  electrically  driven  ice-machine  placed  in  the 
refrigerator,  controlled  by  a  thermostat  which  starts  and  stops 
the  machine  automatically.  Electrically  driven  meat-choppers 
and  grinders,  dough-mixers,  and  dish-washers,  are  also  parts 
of  a  well-equipped  cafeteria  or  restaurant.  These  suggestions 


288  LABOR  MAINTENANCE 

of  course  apply  particularly  to  concerns  where  a  fairly  large 
number  use  the  lunchroom. 

Gas-ranges,  accessible  from  both  sides,  and  from  which 
rubber-tired  trucks  carry  the  food  to  the  serving  counters  are 
recommended  as  indispensable. 

The  British  Ministry  of  Munitions,  which  studied  the  prob- 
lem of  feeding  large  numbers  in  munition  factories,  makes 
the  recommendation  that  the  serving  counter  should  be  placed 
in  front  of  the  kitchen  and  in  the  center  of  the  dining-room. 
They  also  suggest  that  the  serving  counters  should  be  arranged 
transversely  to  the  long  side  of  the  building  in  order  to  allow 
more  space  for  the  waiting  lines  of  workers  and  to  reduce 
the  number  of  help  necessary  inside  the  serving  counter.  The 
service  counters  should  be  provided  with  plenty  of  steam- 
tables,  with  dish-warmers  so  grouped  as  to  make  for  quick 
service.  Trays  and  silver  to  be  replenished  through  windows 
in  the  walls  of  the  kitchen  are  another  suggestion. 

Kind  and  Quality  of  Food 

This  is  a  matter  depending  mainly  upon  the  locality  of 
the  plant.  Tastes  in  different  parts  of  the  country  vary  a 
great  deal.  It  is  therefore  well  to  select  a  manager  who  has 
had  .some  experience  with  the  local  markets  and  food  prefer- 
ences of  the  locality. 

One  large  contracting  organization  makes  it  a  point  to 
have  special  cooks  for  the  various  nationalities  represented 
in  large  numbers  by  the  labor  employed.  For  example,  the 
Italians  have  their  own  cook  and  the  kind  of  food  they  are 
accustomed  to  in  a  home.  This  has  helped  considerably  in 
keeping  up  the  good  spirit  of  the  men. 

Effective  Menus 

A  neglected  point,  however,  is  the  provision  of  well- 
balanced  meals  that  are  energy-producing.  Too  little  atten- 


EMPLOYEES'  LUNCHROOM  AND  RESTAURANT     289 


tion  is  generally  given  to  the  needs  of  the  workers  in  the 
way  of  food,  and  too  much  to  their  desires.  Of  course,  no 
worker  wants  to  be  told  that  his  food  habits  are  wrong,  or 
that  this  or  the  other  sort  of  food  is  unwholesome ;  he  is  guided 
largely  by  his  tastes.  A  wise  restaurant  management  will 
make  up  its  menus  with  reference  to  such  tastes;  but  it  will 


Article  of  Food 

Quantity 
Required 
to  Yield 
One-tenth 
of  Total 
Fuel  Value 
Needed  by 
Worker 

Amount  of 
Protein 
Contained 
in  Each 
Quantity 
of  Food 

Article  of  Food 

Quantity 
Required 
to  Yield 
One-tenth 
of  Total 
Fuel  Value 
Needed  by 
Worker 

Amount  of 
Protein 
Contained 
in  Each 
Quantity 
of  Food 

a  Day 

a  Day 

Ounce 

Ounces 

Ounce 

* 

Ounces 

i£ 

Barley  flour 

3 

Bacon  .  . 

2 

i 

Maize  meal  ..'.... 

3 

Pork 

3 

I 

Bread 

4 

Cheese 

3 

I 

Meat      (free     from 

Oatmeal  

3 

i 

bone)  

5 

1 

Sugar 

3 

Syrup,  jam,  marma- 

3 

3 

lade 

e 

Lentils   . 

3 

| 

Milk  

16* 

1 

Rice 

3 

* 

Eggs 

4t 

i 

Flour  

3 

i 

Potatoes    (20%    al- 

lowed for  waste)  . 

17 

i 

*  Fluid  ounce, 
t  Number  of  eggs. 


Figure  26.     Table  of  Food  Values 


Showing  the  quantity  of  food  required  to  furnish  one-tenth  of  the  fuel  value  needed  by  a 
worker  doing  moderately  heavy  work,  and  the  amount  of  protein  contained  in  each  quantity  of 

food. 

at  the  same  time  offer  energy-producing  foods  in  attractive 
form  and  at  attractive  prices. 

In  some  plants  the  meals  are  planned  scientifically,  and 
the  co-operation  of  the  plant  nurse  is  secured  to  get  workers 
to  order  the  food  they  need.  For  workers  whose  occupation 
is  more  or  less  sedentary,  and  who  suffer  from  headaches 
owing  to  poor  elimination,  efforts  have  been  made  to  get 
them  to  eat  a  good  deal  of  fruit.  In  order  to  bring  this 
about,  the  fruit  was  arranged  very  attractively  on  the  counters. 
At  the  same  time,  small  signs  were  arranged  about  the  room 
dwelling  on  the  wholesomeness  of  plenty  of  fruit  in  one's  diet. 


290  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

The  familiar  slogan,  "An  apple  a  day  keeps  the  doctor  away," 
has  been  really  effective. 

Changing  one's  food  habits  is  a  matter  of  slow  education ; 
but  it  can  be  accomplished  as  experience  in  this  country  and 
abroad  has  shown.  In  the  United  States  some  study  is  being 
made  to  determine  the  combination  of  food  best  suited  to  the 
needs  of  the  industrial  worker.2  In  England,  during  the  war, 
special  study  was  made  of  food  standards  for  munition 
workers  and  others;  and  the  following  table,  prepared  by  the 
Health  of  Munition  Workers'  Committee,  is  significant.  A 
standard  of  3,500  calories  was  taken  as  required  daily  by  a 
male  munition  worker.  The  table  (Figure  26)  below  shows 
the  quantity  of  food  required  to  furnish  one-tenth  of  the  fuel 
value  required  by  a  worker  doing  moderately  heavy  work 
and  the  amount  of  protein  contained  in  each  quantity  of  food. 
The  daily  diet  should  contain  at  least  4  ounces  of  protein. 


2  See   "Food  for  the  Worker,"  Frances  Stern  and   Gertrude  T.   Spitz. 


CHAPTER  XX 

THE  PLANT  NEWSPAPER  OR  MAGAZINE 

A  Medium  of  Intercommunication 

The  growth  in  size  of  industrial  enterprises,  the  amount 
of  business  done,  and  the  high  specialization  necessary  to  ad- 
minister it  efficiently,  have  considerably  weakened  if  not 
destroyed,  the  old  personal  relationship  between  the  manage- 
ment and  the  workers.  Labor  stability  depends  largely  upon 
how  close  to  the  men  the  management  is.  One  does  not  have 
to  seek  far  for  examples  of  conditions  resulting  from  neglect 
of  this  truth. 

The  question  is  how  to  restore  the  personal  relationship 
in  industry  as  far  as  it  is  practicable  to  do  so  under  present 
conditions.  Present  organizations  in  which  large  numbers 
are  involved  function  largely  through  executives  to  whom  the 
heads  of  the  concern  delegate  authority  and  responsibility. 
Those  executives  in  turn  must  of  necessity  delegate  some  of 
their  power  to  subordinates.  Intercommunication  of  a  per- 
sonal sort  is  difficult  and  workers  know  little  of  what  is  going 
on  in  departments  other  than  those  in  which  they  work,  except 
through  an  occasional  formal  bulletin  or  notice,  or  through 
rumor. 

Following  the  plan  of  a  concern  with  a  progressive  sales 
policy,  which  keeps  its  sales  force  informed  as  to  each  other's 
activities,  policies,  and  plans,  through  a  house  organ  issued 
at  regular  intervals,  many  employers  have  established  plant 
newspapers  or  magazines  as  a  desirable  method  of  intercom- 
munication among  employees.  The  war,  which  intensified  the 
need  of  closer  co-operation  among  workers,  led  to  the  estab- 

291 


LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

lishment  of  many  more  plant  journals.  The  results  have  been 
most  valuable,  both  to  the  individual  and  to  the  plant  as  a 
whole. 

Means  of  Stimulating  Production 

During  the  war  the  American  Multigraph  Company  was 
under  the  pressure  of  producing  time-fuses  in  quantity  for 
the  United  States  and  its  allies.  One  of  its  serious  problems 
was  that  of  bridging  the  gap  between  the  workers  and  execu- 
tives— including  the  foremen — and  creating  a  common  interest 
that  would  stimulate  production.  To  develop  the  "family 
spirit"  a  plant  publication,  the  Center  Punch,  was  launched 
"to  quicken  the  spirit  of  competition  into  life,  to  feature  and 
distinguish  those  who  did  good  work,  and  to  lead  the  employees 
in  the  proper  direction  but  to  do  it  unofficially."  The  man- 
agement held  that  "official  orders  are  all  right  up  to  a  certain 
point,  but  past  that  point  much  better  results  can  be  secured 
by  making  the  suggestions  come  from  the  employees  them- 
selves." 

Everything  in  the  magazine  was  planned  from  the  in- 
spirational point  of  view.  The  editors  assert  that  when  the 
Roll  of  Honor  or  Production  Record  was  published,  for  the 
first  month  the  record  of  production  was  just  average,  but 
in  the  next  month  production  exceeded  the  estimated  increase 
by  10  per  cent.  "As  there  was  no  other  force  working  along 
the  lines  of  greatest  production,  the  magazine  was  naturally 
credited  with  the  result."  We  are  informed  that  the  magazine 
is  regarded  by  the  company  as  "the  big  factor  in  creating  a 
shoulder-to-shoulder  spirit  and  in  making  the  company  more 
than  merely  the  name  of  an  employer  to  those  who  are  em- 
ployed." 

One  of  the  devices  used,  by  the  way,  was  to  assign  subjects 
to  various  foremen  with  the  request  that  they  write  out  their 
ideas  without  worrying  about  style  or  language.  It  took  a 


PLANT   NEWSPAPER   OR   MAGAZINE  293 

little  time  before  that  plan  got  to  working  but  finally  success 
was  attained. 

Giving  Personality  to  the  Concern 

The  plant  newspaper  gives  personality  to  the  concern  as 
a  trade-mark  does  for  the  product  it  represents.  There  is 
hardly  a  better  aid  to  the  development  and  maintenance  of 
an  esprit  de  corps.  Where  properly  established  the  employees' 
paper  has  more  than  paid  for  itself.  It  promotes  enthusiasm 
and  gives  opportunity  for  self-expression  without  which  all 
attempts  at  better  industrial  relations  are  bound  to  fail.  It 
develops  the  interest  of  employees  in  one  another,  and  in  the 
company  and  the  company's  product.  It  generates  construc- 
tive ideas.  It  makes  employment  more  attractive. 

Elements  of  a  Successful  Paper 

The  successful  plant  newspaper  seeks  to  represent  the 
interests  of  all  workers  in  the  plant,  from  the  chief  executive 
to  the  laborer.  It  contrives  to  reach  every  group  and  in- 
dividual on  the  basis  of  participation  in  the  enterprise  and 
through  representation  on  the  editorial  staff.  Just  criticism 
has  come  from  workers  in  certain  plants  which  publish  em- 
ployees' newspapers,  that  the  contents  of  each  issue  are  too 
much  concerned  with  the  affairs  of  the  office  workers  and 
too  little  with  the  rank  and  file.  The  successful  magazine 
is  an  expression  "of  the  workers,  for  the  workers,  and  by 
the  workers." 

From  the  outset,  it  should  be  the  basic  policy  of  the  paper 
to  be  newsy,  never  didactic,  and  always  constructive.  Items 
must  be  terse  and  full  of  "punch."  Every  line  should  breathe 
enthusiasm  and  action.  Rarely  should  articles  be  allowed  to 
exceed  500  words  in  length.  Its  language  should  be  simple 
and  direct.  The  strength  of  a  writer  lies  in  his  use  of  simple 
English. 


294  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

The  Paper's  "Make-up" 

The  "make-up"  is  highly  important.  If  the  paper  is  clut- 
tered up  with  a  miscellaneous  assortment  of  type,  crowded 
with  ill-arranged  ideas,  hard  to  read,  .little  may  be  expected 
of  it.  The  "make-up"  must  attract  interest,  and  "sell"  itself 
to  every  person  who  picks  up  the  paper.  The  secret  of  that 
lies  in  the  proper  selection  of  type,  and  in  an  attractive  arrange- 
ment which  brings  out  the  most  important  items.  In  their 
effort  to  make  their  paper  attractive  many  plants  give  each 
issue  of  their  magazine  a  special  cover,  usually  with  some 
appropriate  design.  One  plant  during  the  war  employed  a 
prominent  artist  to  make  the  cover  each  month.  But  special 
covers  are  expensive  and  not  absolutely  necessary.  The  paper 
can  be  so  printed  that  the  front  page  gives  the  appearance 
of  a  cover,  as  is  frequently  done  in  the  weekly  magazines 
which  appear  on  news-stands.  Good  examples  of  employees' 
magazines  which  use  this  device  are  the  News-Compass? 
Speed-Up,  the  Larkin  Company's  Ourselves,  and  the  Packard 
Employees'  Paper. 

In  attracting  interest,  photographs  of  individuals  and 
events  are  of  great  assistance.  In  order  to  give  "punch"  to 
such  photographs  the  policy  should  be  to  give  preference  to 
those  showing  workers  in  action  rather  than  in  a  posed  group ; 
but  of  course  this  will  depend  upon  the  purpose  of  each 
photograph.  As  half-tone  "cuts"  are  somewhat  expensive, 
it  would  be  well  for  the  business  manager  of  the  plant  news- 
paper to  decide  on  a  standard  size  of  cut,  or  if  possible,  upon 
two  or  three  standard  sizes,  and  arrange  with  the  engraving 
company  for  a  contract  to  cover  a  certain  period  and  so  secure 
a  reduction  in  the  cost  for  each  cut.  If  this  is  done,  the  editors 
will  have  to  determine  upon  the  number  of  cuts  to  be  used  in 
each  issue  and  to  plan  their  "dummy"  accordingly. 

Cartoons  of  workers  and  of  employee  activities  give  life 

1  Recently  discontinued. 


PLANT   NEWSPAPER   OR   MAGAZINE  295 

a  plant  newspaper.     Where  draftsmen  are  employed  it 
jnerally  is  not  difficult  to  locate  a  worker  who  can  sketch  and 
jssibly  has  a  sense  of  humor.    Some  plants  make  it  a  practice 
-o  allow  their  artist  to  work  on  material  for  the  plant  news- 
paper on  company  time,  setting  aside  for  the  purpose  a  maxi- 
mum number  of  hours  per  week  or  month. 

The  News  Element 

The  real  backbone  of  a  successful  plant  paper  consists 
of  the  personal  items  about  workers,  and  the  more  of  these 
there  are,  the  closer  will  the  paper  get  to  the  employees.  Ex- 
cellent models  in  this  respect  are :  the  Commonwealther  of  the 
Commonwealth  Steel  Company;  the  Western  Electric  News; 
Telephone  Topics  of  the  New  England  Telephone  Company; 
the  Telephone  Review  of  the  New  York  Telephone  Company ; 
the  News-Compass  of  the  Merchant  Shipbuilding  Corpora- 
tion; the  Dry  Dock  Dial  of  the  Morse  Dry  Dock  and  Repair 
Company;  the  Chameleon  of  the  Sherwin-Williams  Company, 
the  White  Book  of  the  White  Motor  Company,  Cleveland,  the 
R  &  M  Co-operator  of  the  Robbins  and  Myers  Company,  and 
the  Lamp  of  the  Standard  Oil  Company  of  New  Jersey. 

Editors  of  employee  magazines  must,  however,  make  sure 
that  every  "personal"  is  without  a  "sting"  and  does  not  offend. 
Often  unnecessary  bitterness  results  from  "slams"  which  are 
tactless.  In  order  to  avoid  this  the  editors  of  one  paper 
head  their  page  thus:  "This  column  will  print  anything  of 
clean  personal  news  obtainable.  Therefore:  Contribute  every- 
thing; do  not  offend  anybody;  write  everything  in  good  fun." 

Several  papers  make  it  their  policy  to  give  biographical 
sketches  of  prominent  persons  in  the  company.  Others  add 
special  biographies  of  workers  who  have  been  with  the  concern 
for  several  years.  That  this  is  very  effective  is  borne  out 
,by  the  experience  of  the  Greenfield  Tap  and  Die  Corporation 
in  devoting  part  of  each  issue  of  their  paper  to  this  purpose. 


296  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

At  the  head  of  the  column  in  which  the  biography  appears  is 
the  following  statement  by  the  president  of  the  company: 
"These  men  are  our  Old  Guard.  They  are  the  backbone  of 
our  industry/' 

In  making  up  the  contents  of  each  issue  the  problem  is 
to  secure  the  material  that  will  interest  every  reader.  Some- 
times good  matter  will  be  found  in  other  magazines  and  other 
sources  which  may  be  reprinted,  provided  it  is  terse  and  appro- 
priate. But  the  editors  should  constantly  bear  in  mind  that 
the  workers  are  primarily  interested  in  their  own  affairs  and 
not  in  generalities.  Lazy  editors  use  many  "fillers"  consisting 
of  poems  of  limited  interest  and  value,  and  other  irrelevant 
items.  Then  they  wonder  why  their  paper  is  not  reaching 
the  worker  and  receiving  his  support.  There  are  plenty  of 
general  magazines  and  journals  and  it  is  a  mistake  to  try  to 
compete  with  them  or  enter  their  field. 

An  employees'  paper  without  a  sense  of  humor,  like  a 
man  similarly  limited,  will  find  the  road  to  success  rather 
difficult.  The  essential  quality  of  a  good  plant  newspaper 
is  that  it  is  a  good  "mixer."  A  touch  of  humor  should  lighten 
its  pages  and  the  wise  editor  will  make  judicious  use  of  good 
jokes  or  witty  paragraphs  in  each  number.  Short,  pithy  sen- 
tences or  adages  which  are  not  too  familiar  are  useful,  not 
only  to  fill  in  the  odd  corners  and  spaces  but  to  lend  variety 
to  the  reading  matter.  The  best  plan  is  to  set  up  in  type  a 
sufficient  number  of  these  "fillers,"  which  may  also  include 
bits  of  humor,  and  use  them  as  a  reservoir  to  draw  from  as 
occasion  requires.  This  is  a  great  time-saver.  For  quotations, 
a  very  good  book  for  the  editor  is  Douglas'  "Forty  Thousand 
Quotations,  Prose  and  Poetical."  Here  again,  however,  the 
editor  must  use  good  judgment  both  as  to  quality  and  quantity. 
A  quotation,  for  the  purposes  of  an  employees'  paper,  must 
be  inspiring;  it  must  stimulate  thought  and  action.  Hoary 
proverbs  and  didactic  selections  have  no  place. 


PLANT   NEWSPAPER  OR   MAGAZINE  297 

Date  of   Issue — Distribution 

One  of  the  important  things  for  the  editors  to  remember 
is  that  the  paper  must  be  issued  promptly  on  the  day  set 
for  its  distribution.  This  day  should  rarely  be  changed. 
When  employees  know  the  date  of  issue  they  look  forward 
to  it.  Friday  or  Saturday  has  been  found  satisfactory.  More- 
over, the  distribution  should  be  carefully  arranged  so  that 
every  employee  receives  his  copy  promptly.  Some  firms  dis- 
tribute their  papers  through  the  foremen  or  department  heads, 
others  through  the  timekeepers  at  noon  or  at  the  end  of  the 
day.  A  good  plan  is  to  have  the  members  of  the  reportorial 
staff  distribute  the  copies  in  ^the  shop  which  they  represent ; 
but  no  distribution  should  be  made  during  working  hours, 
except  at  the  lunch  period. 

Special  Features 

In  order  to  arouse  special  interest  in  each  number  it  has 
been  found  desirable  to  place  posters  around  the  plant  an- 
nouncing special  features  of  each  forthcoming  issue.  As  the 
special  features  make  each  issue  stand  out,  the  author  strongly 
believes  in  this  method  of  reaching  employees.  It  is  a  good 
plan  to  feature  the  various  departments  of  the  plant  one  by 
one  in  special  issues,  making  sure,  of  course,  that  in  those 
issues  there  is  plenty  of  news  about  the  other  departments. 
This  method  was  tried  with  great  success  with  the  Chester 
Compass  (afterwards  the  News-Compass). 

The  special  " foremen's  number"  of  this  paper,  to  which 
foremen  and  leading  men  contributed,  made  a  deep  impression. 
It  dealt  with  such  topics  as  "The  Relation  of  the  Foreman 
to  the  Worker,"  "The  New  Foremanship,"  "Keeping  the 
Men  on  the  Job,"  "The  Influence  of  the  Foremen  in  Speeding 
Production,"  "Constructive  Foremanship,"  "Qualifications  of 
a  Foreman,"  "Unity  Among  Foremen,"  "Books  for  Foremen." 
Not  only  were  the  foremen  interested  in  exchanging  their 


298  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

views  in  this  way  for  the  first  time,  but  the  workers  eagerly 
read  the  issue  to  learn  the  foreman's  viewpoint.  It  gave  the 
workers  the  opportunity  to  understand  and  appreciate  the 
foremen's  position  more  thoroughly;  it  cleared  up  many  mis- 
conceptions which  probably  would  never  have  been  threshed 
out  otherwise.  Another  point  not  to  be  overlooked  was  the 
effect  this  number  had  upon  the  management  in  enabling  them 
to  get  the  foremen's  conception  of  their  jobs.  That  number, 
finally,  gave  the  foremen  an  interest  in  the  success  of  the 
paper.  They  felt  that  it  was  as  much  a  mouthpiece  for  them 
as  for  the  rank  and  file,  and  they  became  great  boosters  for 
it.  The  effect  on  the  spirit  of  the  plant  was  noteworthy. 

Besides  featuring  the  various  departments,  the  plan  has 
been  tried  successfully  of  giving  certain  numbers  a  special 
name:  a  "Christmas  number,"  a  "New  Year's  number,"  a 
"Labor  Day  number,"  a  "Lincoln  number,"  and  so  on,  in 
each  of  which  something  appropriate  to  the  day  is  dwelt  upon 
editorially.  Several  concerns  produce  an  "Anniversary  num- 
ber" which  reviews  the  work  of  the  paper  and  of  the  concern 
for  the  year  previous  in  statements  from  the  executives.  In 
some  cases  particular  issues  are  dedicated  to  various  individuals 
or  events. 


A  Few  Successful  Plant  Papers 

Among  firms  which  have  had  success  with  plant  papers 
may  be  mentioned  the  Goodyear  Tire  and  Rubber  Company, 
which  in  1912  established  a  factory  newspaper,  called  the 
Wing-foot  Clan.  At  first  it  was  published  semimonthly;  later, 
once  a  week,  now  it  appears  three  times  a  week.  The 
paper  is  in  part  an  official  bulletin,  in  part  it  deals  with 
the  work  of  the  plant,  and  in  part  is  simply  a  newspaper  to 
afford  relaxation  and  amusement  to  its  readers.  As  the  official 
means  of  contact  between  management  and  men,  in  which  all 


PLANT  NEWSPAPER  OR  MAGAZINE 

company  policies  find  expression,  it  has  been  instrumental  in 
promoting  good  feeling  and  establishing  an  esprit  de  corps. 

The  Kodak  Park  Bulletin,  published  monthly  by  the  East- 
man Kodak  Company,  is  a  beautifully  printed  employees' 
magazine,  which  may  well  serve  as  a  model  for  other  papers. 
In  this  class  ai*e  the  Hydraulic  Press  (  Hydraulic  Pressed  Steel 
Company,  Cleveland)  and  Moonbeams  (Procter  and  Gamble 
Company,  Cincinnati). 

Of  a  different  type  is  the  Fisk  Bulletin,  a  weekly  newspaper 
published  by  the  Social  and  Athletic  Association  of  the  Fisk 
Rubber  Company,  Chicopee  Falls,  Massachusetts.  In  addition 
to  its  editor,  there  are  department  correspondents  and  a  long 
list  of  reporters.  A  feature  of  this  paper  is  the  special  matter 
printed  in  Russian,  Polish,  and  Greek  for  the  benefit  of 
foreign-born  workers  of  these  nationalities. 

During  the  war  the  Edison  Storage  Battery  Company, 
West  Orange,  New  Jersey,  distributed  special  one-page  bul- 
letins to  their  employees  every  Monday  and  Thursday  to  help 
them  appreciate  the  production  problems  of  the  company  and 
to  stimulate  interest  in  their  work.  The  illustrations  for  the 
bulletins  were  generally  made  from  advertising  plates  used  in 
the  company's  regular  publicity  work  in  trade  papers  and 
magazines,  thus  minimizing  the  expenses. 

A  similar  plan  was  adopted  by  the  Hercules  Powder  Com- 
pany ;  but  the  bulletins  were  multigraphed  to  make  them  look 
more  personal. 

The  Editorial  Staff  and  Its  Work 

The  editorial  staff  should  properly  represent  every  depart- 
ment and  with  the  exception  of  the  editor-in-chief,  should  be 
elected  by  the  workers.  Unfortunately  this  is  not  the  general 
practice.  Some  papers  are  conducted  by  the  advertising  man- 
ager, some  by  the  secretary  of  the  corporation  or  some  other 
company  official.  Usually  the  service  department  helps 


300  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

organize  the  paper  and  is  responsible  for  its  success.  At  the 
National  Cash  Register  Company,  the  N.  C.  R.  News  is  edited 
by  five  employees.  The  composition,  presswork,  and  other 
details  of  publication,  except  thfe  making  of  half-tone  cuts, 
is  done  at  the  plant  by  employees.  Each  department  has  its 
correspondent  who  collects  general  articles  and  news  items. 
Some  papers,  in  addition  to  a  staff  of  editors,- have  a  repor- 
torial  staff  composed  of  employees  appointed  for  each  shop 
or  department  to  hold  office  for  three  months  or  more.  A 
good  heading  which  suggests  itself  for  a  reportorial  staff  is, 
"Every  worker  in  the  plant." 

As  a  suggestion  for  a  good  editorial  organization,  the 
following  is  offered,  though  it  will  have  to  be  modified  to 
suit  the  particular  conditions  of  an  enterprise: 

Editor-in-chief:   (superintendent  service  department). 
Three   assistant   editors   representing   office   force,   manage- 
ment, plant  workers. 

Staff 

Business  manager 
Advertising  manager 
Staff  artist 
Assistants 

Reportorial    Staff 

One  representative  from  each  shop. 

One   representative   from   each   department  other  than  the 
shops. 

The  terms  of  office  of  editors  would  vary  according  to  the 
circumstances  of  the  particular  case.  Where  possible  the  staff 
of  editors  should  be  changed  from  time  to  time  (but  not  too 
often)  in  order  to  encourage  others  to  serve  and  so  have  the 
interest  and  control  of  the  paper  wide-spread. 

The  editor  and  the  business  manager  should  be  members 


PLANT   NEWSPAPER   OR   MAGAZINE  3O1 

of  the  service  department,  inasmuch  as  their  work  will  require 
a  considerable  part  of  their  time,  and  is  so  intimately  connected 
with  the  other  activities  of  the  department. 

Functions  of  the  Editor 

The  functions  of  the  editor-in-chief  may  be  summarized  as 
follows : 

1.  General  supervision  of  the  organization  and  publica- 

tion of  the  papers. 

2.  Editorial  revision  of  material  to  oe  published  to  make 

sure  it  conforms  to  the  policies  set  6y  the  editorial 
board  and  the  general  policies  of  the  company,  and 
is  couched  in  language  which  will  be  easily  under- 
stood by  everyone. 

3.  Planning  the  contents  of  each  issue  and  arranging 

the  material  in  the  form  best  calculated  to  attract 
and  hold  the  interest  of  readers,  stimulate  their 
enthusiasm,  develop  constructive  self-expression 
among  the  working  force,  and  bring  all  interests  in 
the  plant  together  on  a  common  basis  of  co-opera- 
tion. 

The  editor  should  be  particularly  careful  about  the  head- 
ings of  each  article.  The  effectiveness  of  many  good  articles 
in  plant  papers  is  destroyed  by  poor  headings.  For  example, 
an  especially  good  article  on  safety  will  be  labeled  "Safety 
News"  or  "Safety  Notes"  when  it  should  have  a  title  which 
catches  the  interest  of  readers.  It  would  be  much  more  effec- 
tive to  head  the  Article  "Play  Safe,"  or  "Why  Bill  Jones  Lost 
His  Foot,"  or  "Careless  Men!  Don't  Read  this!"  And  so 
with  articles  on  health — it  is  far  better  to  say  "Here's  to  Your 
Health !"  or  "The  Doctor  Says,"  than  to  dub  an  article  "Health 
News."  In  writing  head-lines,  effort  should  be  made  to  have 


302  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

them  concise,  and  describing  action.     Such  head-lines  give 
"pep"  to  a  paper. 

It  is  particularly  important  to  observe  this  suggestion  in 
the  case  of  news  from  various  departments.  Instead  of  having 
headings,  such  as  "Blacksmith  Shop,"  "Joiner  Shop,"  "Elec- 
trical Shop,"  and  so  on,  interest  will  be  aroused  and  the  paper 
will  be  made  more  live  by  headings  like  "Sparks  from  the 
Anvil,"  "Joiner-shop  Shavings,"  "Flashes  from  the  Electrical 
Shop."  A  little  thought  on  the  part  of  the  editor  and  his 
associates  will  suggest  the  right  kind  of  caption. 

Editorial  Conferences 

These  matters  and  others  vital  to  the  success  of  the  paper 
should  be  discussed  at  regular  editorial  conferences.  No  paper 
is  making  the  best  of  its  opportunities  if  it  has  no  definite 
program  and  is  more  or  less  an  affair  of  the  moment.  During 
these  conferences  the  editors  should,  if  possible,  go  over  the 
material  submitted  for  publication  and  should  lay  down  the 
policies  and  plans  of  the  paper  for  the  six  months,  or  if 
it  is  feasible,  for  the  year  following.  Every  issue  for  six 
months  at  least  should  be  planned  ahead.  Each  issue  should 
have  certain  timely  features,  the  material  for  which  can  be 
secured  fairly  long  in  advance.  Current  news,  of  course, 
cannot  be  secured  in  this  way,  but  it  will  simplify  the  work 
of  the  editors  considerably  if  they  adopt  a  policy  which  plans 
to  cover  certain  points  within  the  year. 

A  chart  should  be  made  with  a  column  for  each  month. 
In  each  column  the  editors  should  jot  down  the  special  items 
to  be  arranged  for.  For  instance,  special  articles  on  health 
are  to  be  obtained  for  the  issues  of  July,  August,  and  December 
(assuming  that  the  magazine  is  issued  monthly).  Since  the 
greatest  number  of  accidents  happen  in  June,  we  will  say, 
special  articles  on  safety  should  be  planned  for  the  issues  of 
April,  May,  June,  and  July.  The  plan  may  be  adopted  Q£ 


PLANT   NEWSPAPER   OR   MAGAZINE  3°3 

X 

devoting  part  of  each  issue  to  featuring  a  particular  depart- 
ment and  giving  the  issue  a  special  name.  These  things  will 
be  noted  in  the  appropriate  column  and  certain  individuals 
designated  for  preparation  of  the  material,  and  so  on. 

Functions  of  the  Business  Manager 

The  job  of  the  business  manager  is  to  attend  to  the  details 
of  printing,  distribution,  and  financing  the  paper.  He  should 
follow  the  printer  up  to  see  that  the  paper  comes  out  on  time. 
This  will  be  facilitated  by  arranging  with  the  printer  for  all 
material  for  a  particular  issue  to  be  in  the  latter's  hands  not 
later  than  a  certain  time  before  publication.  This  date  should 
be  made  known  to  all  readers,  possibly  through  a  note  on 
the  editorial  page.  Distribution  should  be  carefully  planned. 
A  limited  list  of  other  plant  papers  for  exchange  should  be 
part  of  the  distribution  scheme.  The  management  will  prob- 
ably want  a  certain  number  of  copies  of  each  issue  to  send  out. 

Financing  the  Paper 

Finances  are  best  administered  by  the  preparation  of  a 
budget  for  the  year  with  allotments  of  expense  for  each  month. 
This  can  be  arranged  by  conference  between  the  editors  and 
the  general  manager  or  other  representatives  of  the  manage- 
ment who  have  authority. 

Companies  usually  make  a  definite  appropriation  for  the 
publication  of  a  plant  paper  or  set  a  limit  to  expenditures. 
The  expense  will  depend  upon  the  size  of  the  magazine,  the 
circulation,  and  upon  how  often  it  is  usually  issued.  It  is 
safer  to  begin  the  paper  on  a  fairly  conservative  basis  and 
expand  as  time  goes  on,  to  begin,  for  example,  with  a  monthly 
issue  of  8  pages  and  gradually  build  it  up  to  16  pages  or 
more.  Some  concerns  have  a  weekly  paper  of  4  or  8  pages; 
others  produce  theirs  twice  a  month ;  but  the  regular  monthly 


304  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

issue  seems  to  be  the  most  popular.     The  Center  Punch  is 
made  up  in  a  size  to  fit  the  pocket  conveniently. 

Usually  no  charge  is  made  to  employees  for  the  paper,  but 
a  nominal  price  is  sometimes  charged  to  those  outside  the 
employ  of  the  company.  This,  however,  is  hardly  advisable, 
as  the  income  from  this  source  is  too  insignificant  to  make  it 
worth  the  effort 

The  Question  of  Advertising 

Advertising  in  the  columns  of  the  employees'  paper  offers 
an  excellent  method  of  reducing  the  expenses  of  publication. 
Some  papers  have  had  unusual  success  in  this  respect.  If  its 
purpose  is  not  to  be  defeated,  however,  careful  censorship  of 
the  advertisements  which  go  into  the  paper  is  necessary.  It 
is  the  practice  to  exclude  all  advertising  relating  to  patent 
medicines,  quack  physicians,  investment  schemes,  commercial 
agencies,  and  in  general,  matters  of  a  questionable  nature. 

An  energetic  employee  could  well  serve  as  advertising 
manager.  He  might  be  appointed  by  the  editorial  board  when 
the  paper  is  launched,  to  hold  office  for  six  months.  After 
that  his  office  should  become  elective  on  the  part  of  employees. 

A  good  plan  to  get  advertising  matter  is  to  offer  a  com- 
mission of  5  per  cent  to  employees  for  each  advertisement 
they  solicit  and  obtain.  Interest  in  securing  advertisements 
may  be  stimulated  through  special  contests.  A  first  prize  of 
five  or  ten  dollars  in  addition  to  the  regular  percentage  might 
be  given  to  the  one  who  brings  in  the  largest  amount  of  money 
for  advertisements  with  a  suitable  second  prize  for  the  next 
highest  results,  and  an  honorable  mention  list  for  the  others 
in  the  contest. 

The  rates  for  space  will  depend  on  the  cost  of  printing, 
the  circulation,  and  the  position  in  which  the  advertisement 
is  to  appear.  It  would  be  well  to  get  the  advice  of  the  ad- 
vertising manager  of  the  plant  or  some  other  executive  com- 


PLANT   NEWSPAPER   OR   MAGAZINE  3°5 

petent  to  pass  judgment  on  the  matter.  Possible  income  from 
advertising  should  be  gauged  by  the  space  allotted  for  that 
purpose.  In  no  case  should  advertising  be  allowed  to  encroach 
too  much  on  the  space  which  ought  to  be  devoted  to  reading 
matter.  A  fair  allotment  would  be  one-eighth  of  the  number 
of  pages. 

Readers  should  be  urged  to  give  advertisers  their  trade. 
This  may  be  helped  by  a  printed  caption  at  the  bottom  of  the 
advertising  page,  such  as  "Please  mention  this  magazine  when 
patronizing  advertisers.  It  will  help  this  paper  grow  for  your 
benefit/'  or,  "Boost  The  .  .  .  (name  of  your  paper).  Buy 
from  advertisers." 


CHAPTER  XXI 
THE  HOUSING  PROBLEM— IMPORTANCE 

The  Housing  Problem 

Assuming  that  all  the  factors  within  the  plant  affecting 
labor  turnover  are  being  properly  taken  care  of,  there  still 
remains  the  problem  of  housing  the  working  force  adequately; 
and  it  is  a  problem  which  goes  to  the  root  of  efforts  at  labor 
maintenance.  No  labor  force  can  be  stable  if  it  is  not  housed 
satisfactorily.  The  great  increase  in  the  population  of  indus- 
trial communities  in  recent  years  makes  a  solution  of  the 
problem  still  more  urgent.  Bad  housing  conditions  are  respon- 
sible for  dissatisfaction  with  work,  for  unrest,  and  for  a  large 
portion  of  the  turnover  of  labor. 

Consideration  of  the  problem  of  housing  means  study  of 
conditions  within  and  outside  the  plant.  Further,  the  term 
"housing"  includes  not  merely  homes  for  the  workers,  but 
schools,  stores,  churches,  and  other  buildings  that  serve  com- 
munity needs.  The  supply  of  labor  is  vitally  affected  by  the 
conditions  which  go  to  make  up  the  housing  problem.  Con- 
cerns which  have  trouble  in  securing  an  adequate  supply  of 
labor  on  account  of  poor  housing  facilities  are  not  rare. 

Good  Housing  Versus  High  Labor  Turnover 

Housing  has  a  direct  bearing  on  labor  turnover.  It  is  true 
that  the  two  chief  elements  in  labor  maintenance  are  adequate 
wages  and  good  working  conditions;  but  the  next  factor  is 
housing.  Earnings  and  employment  methods  within  an  estab- 
lishment will  always  determine  in  the  main  whether  a  manu- 
facturer holds  his  employees.  In  a  large  sense  workmen 

306 


THE   HOUSING   PROBLEM — IMPORTANCE  3°7 

choose  their  place  of  employment.  The  employer  has  in- 
sisted upon  efficient  workers.  Now  they  are  coming  to  insist 
upon  an  efficient  employer.  He,  on  his  part,  is  coming  to 
see  that  he  has  a  responsibility  outside  of  his  place  of  business 
or  manufacture — a  responsibility  that  extends  into  the  living 
conditions  of  his  employees  in  the  community.  He  has,  indeed, 
a  high  duty  toward  the  community  itself. 

Nor  need  the  employer  be  actuated  by  principles  of 
philanthropy.  We  owe  the  beginnings  of  numerous  kinds  of 
labor  improvements  to  philanthropy,  but  we  are  finding  that 
the  underlying  principles  after  all,  the  principles  that  give  a 
sane  working  basis,  are  economic.  It  is,  first  of  all,  to  the 
employer's  financial  interest  to  have  all  the  conditions  in  which 
the  employee  works  and  lives  of  the  most  advantageous  kind. 
Thus  the  employee  keeps  in  physical  and  mental  trim  and 
works  most  steadily  and  efficiently. 

Importance  of  Housing  Taught  by  the  War 

Housing  may  indeed  become  an  all-important  factor  in 
labor  turnover,  as  the  late  war  taught  both  England  and  this 
country.  During  that  period  workers  were  brought  together 
in  large  and  small  communities  in  such  numbers  that  the 
housing  problem  became  almost  more  difficult  of  solution  than 
wages  and  working  conditions.  In  the  United  States  the  War 
Department  found  it  necessary  to  establish  the  United  States 
Housing  Corporation,  and  to  enter  upon  an  extensive  program 
of  building  in  communities  in  which  corporations  had  contracts 
with  the  national  government.  The  American  Civic  Associa- 
tion and  the  United  States  Chamber  of  Commerce  made  hous- 
ing studies,  published  information,  and  took  up  other  activities 
in  the  interests  of  good  housing. 

Industrial  Housing  in  England  During  the  War 

In  England  the  housing  of  munitions  workers  was  one  of 


308  LABOR  MAINTENANCE 

the  most  urgent  domestic  problems  which  the  English  govern- 
ment had  to  solve  in  the  course  of  the  war.  The  enlargement 
of  existing  works  and  the  opening  up  of  new  factories  involved 
a  great  increase  in  the  wage-earning  population  of  many  com- 
munities. The  methods  adopted  by  the  English  government 
to  meet  conditions  were  various.  In  some  places  temporary 
accommodations  were  provided,  but  in  most  places  permanent 
buildings  were  erected,  especially  where  there  had  been  a  scar- 
city of  houses  before  the  war  and  where  it  seemed  likely  that 
permanent  manufacturing  activity  would  continue  after  the 
war.  Loans  were  made  to  public  utility  societies  which  were 
able  to  deal  with  the  housing  problem,  or  government  loans 
were  made  to  manufacturers.  Such  loans  were  issued  at  the 
current  rate  of  interest  and  for  a  period  of  forty  years.  In 
other  instances  the  government  made  a  partial  proportion  of 
the  cost  of  building  to  certain  local  authorities.  All  these 
methods  merely  put  the  government  behind  the  project  of 
housing,  while  the  actual  work  was  carried  out  by  individuals 
and  local  organizations. 

The  characteristic  type  of  permanent  building  erected  was 
a  two-story  brick  cottage,  containing  a  living-room,  kitchen, 
bath,  and  two  or  three  bedrooms.  Such  cottages  were  built 
in  rows  with  sufficient  space  for  light  and  air  between.  Alto- 
gether the  chief  types  of  dwelling  constructed  for  English 
munition  workers  have  been  three — huts,  hostels,  and  cot- 
tages. 

The  term  "hut"  includes  all  buildings  of  a  temporary  or 
semitemporary  nature.  They  were  built  usually  of  concrete 
slabs  or  were  cheap  wooden  structures  lined  inside  with  beaver 
board.  These  temporary  buildings  were  constructed  both  as 
single-family  houses  and  large  dormitories  accommodating  as 
many  as  one  hundred  single  men  or  single  women. 

The  "hostels"  were  cottages,  usually  of  a  permanent  char- 
acter, which  could  be  easily  converted  into  single-family  cot- 


THE   HOUSING   PROBLEM — IMPORTANCE  3°9 

tages  after  the  war.  The  cost  of  these  was  little  more  than 
that  of  huts  and  the  value  much  greater  after  temporary  use. 
The  hostels  were  generally  built  in  small  groups,  in  rows,  or 
around  the  three  sides  of  a  quadrangle. 

The  cottages  were  fully  completed  houses,  of  various  sizes 
to  suit  the  needs  of  occupants.  They  were  generally  built 
in  groups  of  four  with  a  density  of  twelve  to  the  acre. 

In  addition  to  these  three  types  of  buildings,  the  English 
government  erected  shops,  stores,  schoolhouses,  public  build- 
ings, and  other  structures  necessary  for  the  public  needs  of 
a  community.  Streets  and  parks  were  laid  out,  and  permanent 
communities  were  provided  for. 

Industrial  Housing  in  the  United  States  in  War  Time 

When  the  United  States  finally  entered  the  European  War, 
it  became  necessary  to  produce  ships,  munitions,  food  supplies, 
and  other  war  materials  immediately  and  in  great  quantities. 
Contracts  were  entered  into  with  shipyards,  munition  works, 
steelmills,  textile-mills,  shoe  factories,  and  other  manufactur- 
ing concerns.  New  industrial  communities  were  necessarily 
established  and  the  housing  facilities  of  nearly  all  the  old 
industrial  communities  proved  inadequate.  The  United  States 
Housing  Corporation  was  established  by  the  War  Department 
to  plan  and  carry  out  improvements  in  housing  conditions 
wherever  the  government  was  interested  in  increased  produc- 
tion in  war  materials,  and  to  build,  or  co-operate  in  building, 
new  houses  wherever  needed.  The  help  of  existing  agencies 
interested  in  this  line  of  activity  was  sought.  Landscape 
architects  and  engineers  of  national  reputation,  men  who  were 
authorities  upon  town  and  city  planning,  public  health  experts, 
and  others,  were  either  employed  by  the  Housing  Corporation 
or  were  brought  into  consultation  with  it. 

The  corporation  had  the  advantage  of  the  example  of  the 
English  housing  activities  in  connection  with  plants  and  com- 


3*0  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

munities  producing  war  supplies.  The  corporation  imme- 
diately planned  an  extensive  program  of  improvement  and 
building  in  our  American  communities.  It  sought  the  interest 
and  co-operation  of  employers,  local  committees,  and  in- 
dividuals in  the  industrial  communities  where  housing  im- 
provements were  to  be  projected.  In  the  Department  of  Labor 
at  Washington  there  was  also  established  a  Bureau  of  Indus- 
trial Housing  and  Transportation. 

The  building  projects  recognized  as  necessary  by  the 
production  authorities  of  the  army  and  navy  and  by  the  Hous- 
ing Corporation  at  the  time  of  the  signing  of  the  armistice, 
November  n,  1918,  involved  an  estimated  expenditure  of 
$194,000,000.  The  allotments  for  building  improvements 
already  made,  fully  covered  the  $100,000,000  then  available 
by  government  appropriations,  while  the  total  actual  expendi- 
ture up  to  this  time  was  $45,000,000. 

Results  of  Inadequate  Housing 

In  the  reports  of  the  United  States  Housing  Corporation 
are  interesting  facts  showing  the  relation  of  housing  facilities 
to  labor  turnover  in  certain  well-known  industrial  plants.  The 
facts  regarding  the  housing  conditions  near  one  of  the  largest 
ship-building  concerns  may  be  summarized  as  follows. 
These  conditions  may  be  surprising,  but  they  are  only  such 
as  existed  in  most  other  industrial  communities  in  which  the 
national  government  had  contracts  for  ships,  munitions,  or 
other  war  materials. 

The  labor  turnover  at  this  particular  plant  for  January, 
February,  March,  and  April,  1918,  was  118  per  cent,  or  at 
the  rate  of  354  per  cent  a  year.  Within  the  week  of  February 
23,  158  workmen  left  the  plant  on  account  of  poor  housing, 
and  12  on  account  of  poor  transportation. 

The  chief  reason  given  for  leaving,  during  the  four  months' 
period  mentioned,  was  the  difficulty  of  obtaining  decent  hous- 


THE   HOUSING   PROBLEM — IMPORTANCE  311 

ing  facilities.  The  difficulty  was  particularly  great  for  a  man 
with  a  family.  Unmarried  men  put  up  with  almost  any  form 
of  inconvenience  in  order  to  stay  on  the  job  and  earn  the 
high  wages  that  were  being  paid  to  shipworkers;  they  slept 
from  two  to  eight  in  a  room,  and  in  some  cases  used  the  same 
beds  in  relays.  The  custom  of  working  in  shifts  of  eight 
hours  each  was  extended  to  sleeping  in  turn  in  the  same 
quarters. 

When  suitable  houses  were  found  for  men  with  families, 
the  high  prices  charged  and  rent  profiteering  often  made  it 
impossible  for  workmen  to  secure  them;  and  sometimes  the 
raising  of  rent  after  a  family  had  entered  a  house  compelled 
the  wage-earner  of  the  family  to  give  up  his  job  and  move 
to  another  community,  even  when  he  must  look  for  less 
profitable  employment.  The  daily  absences  from  work  in  the 
plant  in  the  period  above  referred  to  were  often  as  high  as 
30  per  cent,  resulting  mainly,  as  investigation  showed,  from 
difficulty  in  securing  suitable  rooms  and  tenements,  and  from 
exorbitant  rent  charges. 

Report  of  the  Housing  Corporation 

The  reports  of  the  corporation  concerning  other  shipyards 
and  munition  plants  are  given  in  part  in  the  following 
paragraphs  taken  from  the  staff  conference  report  of  May  8, 
1918,  on  the  general  situation  at  Bridgeport,  Connecticut: 

Because  of  the  universal  recognition  of  the  fact  that  labor 
turnover  must  be  kept  within  reasonable  limits,  if  maximum 
production  is  to  be  obtained,  and,  since  any  housing  shortage 
and  the  amount  and  kind  of  housing  provided  to  fill  that  short- 
age is  bound  to  have  a  large  effect  on  labor  turnover,  we  en- 
deavored to  get  a  fairly  definite  view  of  the  situation  as 
regards  turnover  in  the  district. 

Labor  turnover  in  industrial  plants  in  Bridgeport  is  seri- 
ously high.  The  Remington  Arms  Company  has  had,  during 


312  LABOR  MAINTENANCE 

the  past  twelve  months,  a  turnover  of  about  88  per  cent, 
which  is  the  lowest  that  we  found  in  the  district.  Most  of 
the  manufacturing  plants,  particularly  those  engaged  in  war 
production,  report  labor  turnover  rates  running  from  200  to 
400  per  cent  per  year  at  the  present  time,  and  one  important 
company  reported  a  turnover  of  50  per  cent  a  month,  or  at 
the  rate  of  600  per  cent  a  year. 

Employers  interviewed,  without  exception,  consider  that 
housing  shortage  is  a  very  important,  if  not  the  principal, 
cause  of  high  turnover. 

Employers  stated  that,  if  they  could  reduce  their  labor 
turnover  to  reasonable  proportions,  they  could,  with  their 
present  equipment,  increase  their  production  anywhere  from 
10  to  20  per  cent. 

The  following  is  dated  August  22,  1918,  and  relates  to 
Bethlehem,  Pennsylvania : 

Congestion  is  terrible;  many  live  3  shifts  in  a  house. 
Impossible  to  increase  transportation;  service  taxed  to  ut- 
most; 800  sets  of  furniture  stored  in  Allentown.  Easton 
has  its  own  large  plants;  but  a  good  many  men  come  from 
there.  Men  do  not  like  temporary  dwellings  even  as  a  matter 
of  patriotism ;  find  it  impossible  to  keep  in  physical  condition 
and  live  in  barracks.  Need  trained  machinists  of  settled 
habits.  Men  with  families  must  have  homes. 

Of  Cleveland,  Ohio,  the  report  continues: 

Turnover  high  in  outlying  plants  and  plants  where  condi- 
tions are  bad;  but  about  30  manufacturers  do  not  ascribe 
this  to  lack  of  housing.  A  house  survey  by  the  Chamber 
of  Commerce  reveals:  serious  shortage  among  colored 
workers,  pronounced  among  foreign,  but  not  so  for  skilled 
labor.  Rents  high.  Some  house  capacity  for  families  who 
can  pay  $25  to  $40.  Little  room  capacity  for  laborer,  but 
considerable  for  those  with  higher  standard  of  living.  Brass 
and  Copper  Company  reports  60  per  cent  monthly  turnover 
and  only  60  per  cent  production  with  need  of  400  more  men 
for  existing  contracts. 


THE   HOUSING   PROBLEM — IMPORTANCE 

And  of  Hamilton,  Ohio: 

Hamilton  about  one  hour  ride  on  railroad  north  of 
Cincinnati;  one  and  one-half  hours  on  interurban.  There 
are  no  considerable  settlements  within  45  minutes'  ride  where 
workers  could  be  housed.  Gun  carriages,  engines  for  steam- 
ships, machine  tools  are  product  and  the  heavy  machinery 
of  the  plants  is  valuable.  Street  railway  said  to  be  almost 
bankrupt.  Increased  fare  to  be  passed  by  authorities. 
Service  is  poor.  Unenviable  record  as  seat  of  labor  trouble. 
Families  are  found  living  in  basements,  attics,  etc.  Is  ex- 
pected to  work  on  basis  of  small  net  return.  Contract  was 
let  for  50  houses;  but  there  is  doubt  whether  the  building 
and  loan  associations  can  rajse  the  two-thirds  promised  in 
addition  to  the  $132,000  capital  subscribed. 

Seventeen  plants  employing  6,900  men  and  650  women  ' 
use  5,300  men  and  300  women  on  war  work.     1,400  men  and 
400  women  additional  are  needed  by  October  15.    Turnover 
high;  20  per  cent  common.     Production,  60  per  cent  to  100 
per  cent  of  capacity. 

As  housing  accommodations  diminished,  labor  turnover  in- 
creased as  is  shown  by  the  following  statement  on  Indianapolis, 
Indiana: 

800  men,  1,200  women;  250  being  highly  skilled,  all  the 
remainder  semiskilled.  Has  plant  and  equipment  for  200 
more  men  and  800  more  women  added  at  rate  of  400  per 
month.  95  per  cent  of  plant  on  government  orders.  Has  been 
unable  to  increase  force  but  little  owing  to  lack  of  housing; 
but  can  maintain  present  rate  of  work  with  it.  Monthly 
labor  turnover  has  increased  since  January  from  6  to  14 
per  cent.  Wages  are  normal  for  district.  It  takes  50 
minutes  to  I  hour  and  10  minutes  to  get  from  plant  to 
residential  parts  of  city,  where  there  is  capacity  for  more 
workers.  Female  workers  object  to  this  much  more  than 
men.  No  less  essential  plants  from  which  workers  can 
be  drawn.  Some  housing  capacity  for  families  in  Indianapolis 
and  considerable  room  capacity,  but  most  of  it  too  far  from 
plant. 


LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

Frederick  Law  Olmsted's  Views 

In  a  recent  number  of  the  Monthly  Labor  Review,  the 
landscape  architect,  Frederick  Law  Olmsted,  who  was  man- 
ager of  the  Town  Planning  Division  of  the  United  States  Hous- 
ing Corporation,  has  this  to  say  concerning  the  reports  made 
to  the  Housing  Corporation  by  its  investigators: 

The  labor  turnover  rose  to  startling  proportions.  Ex- 
amples of  excessive  labor  turnover  were  supplied  by  the 
war  industries  of  practically  every  city  in  which  the  Housing 
Corporation  investigated  conditions  in  housing  of  labor. 
Though  unsuitable  or  inadequate  housing  was  not  the  sole 
cause  of  this  excessive  labor  turnover,  it  is  mentioned  by 
employment  managers  of  corporations  in  many  instances  as 
the  chief  cause  and  in  others  as  a  contributing  cause. 

The  constant  training  of  new  employees  produced  a  great 
reduction  in  the  average  of  efficiency.  Despite  unprecedented 
wages,  with  a  corresponding  rapidly  increasing  unit  cost  of 
production,  a  point  was  soon  reached  beyond  which  there 
could  not  occur  any  further  effective  increase  of  the  labor 
force.  No  urge  of  patriotism  or  high  wages  could  com- 
pensate for  the  overloaded  accommodations  for  individual 
and  family  life.  Inadequate  access  not  only  to  sleeping  places 
but  to  food,  merchandise,  recreation,  and  everything  relating 
to  family  and  social  life  outside  of  working  hours,  put  a  limit 
on  production  far  below  the  maximum  capacity  of  the  in- 
creased plants. 

Since  1914,  the  rapidly  increasing  cost  of  house  construc- 
tion and  the  diversion  of  capital  into  channels  of  more 
profitable  return  have  resulted,  even  in  the  face  of  an  increas- 
ing need  for  houses,  in  a  steady  decline  in  the  number  of 
houses  actually  built.  The  American  Contractor  gives  the 
total  investment  in  residential  building  in  the  eastern,  central, 
and  northern  sections  of  this  country  (representing  69  per 
cent  of  the  total  population)  as  $432,337,000  for  the  year 
1916,  and  only  $252,000,000  for  1918. 

It  became  clearly  apparent  in  the  summer  of  1917  that 
this  part  of  the  failure  to  produce  needed  war  supplies  had 
become  a  matter  of  government  concern.  Only  such  methods 


THE   HOUSING   PROBLEM — IMPORTANCE  3J5 

of  arbitrary  stimulation  as  were  already  producing  notable 
results  in  expanding  manufacturing  capacity  could  make  that 
capacity  effective  by  supplying  the  requisite  housing  facilities. 

In  one  set  of  cases  the  problem  was  so  clearly  unescapable 
that  there  was  but  little  hesitation  in  meeting  it.  These  were 
the  cases  of  new  industrial  establishments  created  at  the 
order  of  the  government  for  the  sole  purpose  of  producing 
munitions.  They  included  powder  plants,  loading  plants, 
and  the  like,  established  for  reasons  of  public  safety  in 
isolated  locations  where  nothing  before  existed.  Here,  quite 
obviously,  the  entire  facilities  for  housing  employees  and  for 
providing  some  approximation  of  community  life  had  to  be 
created  along  with  the  plant  jtself.  It  is  interesting  to  note 
that  even  with  the  temporary  class  of  structures  appropriate 
for  these  short-lived  communities,  and  even  with  the  use  of 
a  large  proportion  of  dormitories,  for  single  men  and  women 
willing  to  live  apart  from  family  life  while  temporarily 
engaged  in  war  work,  the  investment  in  housing  facilities 
rose  to  large  proportions  in  comparison  with  the  cost  of  the 
industrial  plant  itself. 

Much  more  usually,  the  war-stimulated  industries  formed 
a  part  of  permanent  communities.  In  these  the  pre-war 
housing  shortage  became  unendurably  aggravated. 

A  tardy  and  incomplete  recognition  of  the  fundamental 
nature  of  the  housing  problem  in  its  relation  to  successful 
war  productions  occurred  on  March  I,  1918.  On  this  date 
Congress  authorized  the  expenditure  of  $50,000,000  by  the 
United  States  Shipping  Board  for  accelerating  the  produc- 
tion of  housing  facilities  in  connection  with  shipyards.  This 
was  a  mere  drop  in  the  bucket  compared  with  the  investment 
in  shipbuilding  plants.  Another  step  was  taken  when  Con- 
gress authorized  the  President,  on  May  16,  1918,  to  apply 
$60,000,000  "for  the  purposes  of  providing  housing,  local 
transportation,  and  other  general  community  utilities  for  such 
industrial  workers  as  are  engaged  in  arsenals  and  navy  yards 
of  the  United  States  and  industries  connected  with  and  essen- 
tial to  the  national  defense,  and  their  families,  only  during 
the  continuation  of  the  existing  war,"  and  on  June  4  provided 
the  necessary  appropriation.  On  July  8,  1918,  this  amount 
was  increased  to  $100,000,000. 


316  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

By  executive  order,  confirmed  in  the  act  of  June  4,  1918, 
the  Bureau  of  Industrial  Housing  and  Transportation  was 
created  in  the  Department  of  Labor  to  serve  these  ends,  and 
the  funds  were  expended  by  it  through  the  United  States 
Housing  Corporation,  legally  created  July  9,  1918. 

Housing  Development  of  United  States  Shipping  Board 

The  work  of  the  Housing  Corporation  in  a  new  community 
is  well  shown  in  a  description  recently  made  by  the  United 
States  Shipping  Board  Emergency  Fleet  Corporation  of  the 
housing  development  at  St.  Helena,  Maryland.  The  descrip- 
tion is  as  follows : 

PARCEL  "A" 

A  tract  of  land  of  approximately  15^  acres,  exclusive 
of  streets  and  alleys,  improved  with  296  houses,  each  having 
four  rooms  and  bathroom.  All  houses  are  two  stories  and 
attic  high,  built  of  stucco  on  metal  lath  on  concrete  founda- 
tions and  with  slate  roofs.  Some  of  the  attractive  features 
are  electric  lights,  gas,  maple  floors  and  stairs,  front  piazzas, 
shades,  screens,  etc. 

These  houses  are  arranged  in  36  groups,  with  rows  of 
four,  six,  eight  and  ten  houses  to  a  group.  Seventy-two  end 
houses  are  16  feet,  n  inches  wide,  with  lots  averaging  26 
feet  wide;  54  inside  houses  are  16  feet,  9  inches  wide,  and 
170  inside  houses  are  14  feet,  9  inches  wide.  Lots  vary  in 
depth  from  90  to  150  feet. 

Three  vacant  plots  are  included  in  this  tract,  dimensions 
of  which  are  respectively  120'  x  131';  120'  x  90';  55'  x  125'. 

Streets  are  paved  with  concrete;  sidewalks  and  house- 
walks  are  of  concrete;  an  ample  setback  provides  an  attrac- 
tive front  lawn;  planting  space  has  been  allowed  between 
curbs  and  sidewalks;  large  trees  line  several  of  the  streets. 
Streets  are  well  lighted  with  100  c-p.  incandescent  lights 
placed  at  street  intersections  and  intervening  points.  Com- 
plete sewers  connected  with  disposal  plant  of  the  Dundalk 
Company  are  installed.  Reservations  have  been  made  for 
10-foot  service  alleys  in  the  rear. 


THE   HOUSING   PROBLEM — IMPORTANCE  31? 

PARCEL  "B" 

A  plot  of  approximately  98,000  square  feet  upon  which 
has  been  built  a  cafeteria  and  power-house.  The  cafeteria 
building  is  one  story  high,  erected  on  concrete  foundations 
and  has  a  floor  area  of  about  36,000  square  feet.  Some  of 
the  floors  are  of  concrete.  This  building  is  fully  connected 
with  water  and  sewers.  Fire  lines  throughout  the  building 
with  frequent  hose  connections  furnish  ample  fire  protection. 
Electric  wiring  is  all  installed  for  lighting  and  gas  lines 
connected. 

The  power-house  is  built  of  brick  and  is  equipped  with 
two  po-horse-power  high-pressure  boilers  with  complete 
auxiliary  fittings. 

The  two  above-described  parcels  are  located  on  the  Spar- 
row's Point  Branch  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad,  the 
westerly  frontage  of  the  property  being  within  a  few  feet  of 
the  St.  Helena  Station.  This  property  also  fronts  on  the 
line  of  the  Bay  Shore  Branch  of  the  United  Railway  and 
Electric  Company,  which  operates  high-speed  electric  trains 
between  Baltimore  and  the  Bay  Shore  Terminal.  Running 
time  from  the  'heart  of  Baltimore  is  about  30  minutes  and 
from  the  Sparrow's  Point  Shipyard  of  the  Bethlehem  Ship- 
building Corporation  about  10  minutes.  A  portion  of  Parcel 
"A"  is  within  the  limits  of  the  city  of  Baltimore. 

The  Importance  of  Housing  in  Peace  Times 

In  times  of  peace,  even  more  than  in  war,  the  housing 
problem  is  important  if  industry  is  to  continue  without  the 
loss  of  millions  of  dollars  annually  in  silent  labor  leakage. 
Tens  of  thousands  of  laborers  are  compelled  under  normal, 
peace-time  conditions,  to  live  in  quarters  that  sap  their  effi- 
ciency, or  to  move  from  house  to  house  at  a  constant  financial 
loss,  or  to  go  from  community  to  community  with  consequent 
loss  in  wages,  and  frequently  to  change  an  occupation  alto- 
gether. From  the  standpoint  of  housing  alone,  American 
industrial  workers  fall  far  short  of  100  per  cent  in  industrial  - 
efficiency. 


3 18  LABOR  MAINTENANCE 

As  the  war  has  brought  vividly  to  our  attention,  congestion 
in  large  cities  and  industrial  communities  means  disease, 
lowered  physical  and  mental  vitality,  immorality,  and  crime. 
This  is  no  less  true  in  peace  times.  As  was  said  at  the 
beginning  of  this  chapter,  the  results,  or  the  losses  owing  to 
poor  housing,  are  both  economic  and  social.  They  reduce  the 
welfare  and  the  happiness  of  the  community.  On  the  other 
hand,  good  housing,  under  hygienic  conditions,  and  with  a 
reduction  of  congestion,  means  efficient  and  contented  labor 
force,  labor  stability,  increased  self-respect  among  workers, 
and  pride  in  employment  and  community  welfare. 

Good  Housing  and  Health 

Both  the  industrial  physician  and  the  ordinary  practitioner 
have  been  of  the  highest  service  in  the  gains  already  made 
in  housing  in  this  and  other  countries.  They  have  come  to 
realize  that  good  housing  is  a  basal  condition  not  only  in  labor 
maintenance  but  in  social  welfare.  Doctor  Charles  P.  Caldwell 
of  the  Chicago  Municipal  Tuberculosis  Sanitarium  in  an  ad- 
dress at  the  Sixth  Annual  Conference,  National  Housing 
Association,  Chicago,  1917,  put  the  matter  very  clearly. 

The  housing  problem,  or  more  properly  as  the  physician 
sees  it,  the  home  problem,  because  it  includes  not  only  the 
house  itself,  but  the  sanitary  conditions  within  and  without 
the  house,  is  deserving  of  the  most  serious  consideration. 

It  is  in  the  home  for  the  most  part,  that  the  entire 
drama  of  life  is  played ;  it  is  the  foundation  and  corner-stone 
of  society  and  should  be  safeguarded.  Koch,  the  discoverer 
of  the  tuberculosis  bacillus,  has  said  that  tuberculosis  can 
be  called  a  dwelling  disease.  The  improvement  in  housing 
conditions  is  a  most  hopeful  sign  and  promises  much  in  the 
way  of  proper  drainage,  more  cubic  space,  more  glass  and 
sun  areas  in  the  house.  The  architect  who  plans  and  offers 
sunless  houses  for  dwelling  places  is  a  foe  to  the  community. 

He  further  says  that  improvement  in  sanitation  and  the 


THE   HOUSING   PROBLEM — IMPORTANCE  3X9 

provision  of  decent  and  sanitary  dwellings  will  not  solve  the 
problem  of  good  health  and  citizenship,  for  an  ideal  house 
may  soon  become  unsanitary  under  slovenly  management  and 
poor  housekeeping. 

The  solution  of  the  problem  lies  in  a  large  measure  with 
the  people  themselves.  They  must  be  taught  step  by  step 
to  desire  improvement.  They  must  be  taught  cleanliness, 
the  value  of  fresh  air  and  sunshine,  the  pioper  selection  and 
preparation  of  food,  and  also  they  must  be  taught  their 
duties  and  responsibilities  to  the  public. 

Every  physician  and  social  worker  knows  well  that  these 
are  bitter  days  for  the  poor.  Great  accessions  of  wealth 
have  come  in  this  country  in  the  past  two  or  three  years 
but  its  distribution  has  been  more  than  usually  unequal. 
Wages  have  risen  it  is  true,  but  not  in  proportion  to  the 
increased  cost  of  living.  You  cannot  prove  to  the  wage- 
earner  that  he  is  better  off  by  telling  him  that  wages  have 
advanced.  He  knows  this,  but  he  also  knows  that  prices 
have  advanced  far  out  of  proportion  to  wages. 

What  immediate  adequate  remedy  can  be  evoked  to  make 
more  tolerable  the  lot  of  man  or  woman  wholly  dependent 
on  salary,  is  not  yet  plain.  Many  families  have  been  obliged 
to  move  into  smaller  quarters  and  we  know  that  poverty  and 
congested  districts  increase  sickness  and  death. 

Municipal  public  parks  and  playgrounds,  infant  welfare 
stations,  public  nurseries,  children's  preventoriums,  open-air 
schools,  the  opening  of  stub-end  streets,  sanitary  sewage- 
disposal,  and  better  housing  laws  are  needed. 

The  medical  profession  is  ready  to  turn  to  the  task  with 
all  good-will  and  do  what  it  can  but  the  people  cannot  be 
kept  well  by  drugs ;  they  need  good  food,  fresh  air,  clean  and 
well-ventilated  rooms. 


Suggestions  for  Proper  Housing 

At  the  end  of  our  discussion  it  may  help  to  a  better  under- 
standing of  the  problem,  and  what  should  be  done  about  it, 
to  present  its  elements  (together  with  constructive  sugges- 


32°  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

tions)  as  expressed  by  John  Nolen,  who  is  probably  the  great- 
est expert  on  industrial  housing  in  the  United  States. 

1.  Good  planning  applied  to  industrial  housing  pays. 

2.  New  factories,  for  their  own  interest  as  well  as  that 
of  all  others  concerned,  should  locate  in  the  outskirts  of  cities 
whenever  practicable. 

3.  As  opportunity  offers,  factories  now  existing  in  cities 
should  be  encouraged  to  move  to  the  outskirts. 

4.  Employers  and  employees  should  co-operate  in  a  social 
and  democratic  way  to  create  an  attractive  local  community 
on  the  outskirts  of  cities  near  factories,  both  doing  their  part 
to  make  the  community  healthful,  convenient,  and  satisfying. 

5.  The  same  co-operation  should  be  directed  toward  secur- 
ing also  for  employees  and  their  families,  by  transportation 
facilities,  some  of  the  advantages  and  permanent  attractions 
of  city  life. 

6.  The  choice  for  factory  employees  should  not  be  sharply 
drawn  between  the  city  and  the  country.     Both  should  be 
recognized  as  desirable — the  city  for  occasional  inspiration 
and  diversion,  and  the  more  open  country  on  the  outskirts  of 
cities  for  the  essentials  of  daily  family  life. 

7.  A  good  home  for  every  wage-earner  is  possible  only 
by  recognizing  that  housing  is  closely  related  to  a  number  of 
large  and  difficult  problems. 

8.  The  first  step  towards  a  solution  of  the  problem  is  to 
recognize  that  the  subject  is  one  for  the  right  application  of 
broad  economic  principles. 

9.  Under    proper   organization,    much    of   the    necessary 
capital  could  be  obtained  from  the  wage-earners  themselves 
through  the  organization  of  building  and  loan  associations  and 
co-operative  banks. 

10.  Finally,  the  better  handling  of  low-cost  housing  offers 
one  of  the  best  opportunities  to  contribute  to  industrial  effi- 
ciency and  to  the  welfare  of  the  wage-earner. 


CHAPTER  XXII 

THE  HOUSING  PROBLEM— WHAT  TO  DO 

The  Duty  of  Industry  as  to  Housing 

It  is  not  necessary  to  ask  whether  good  housing  pays.  The 
conditions  and  accomplishments  already  presented  should  be 
sufficient  evidence  of  the  economic  gain  which  is  to  be  found 
in  proper  housing  conditions,  in  any  industrial  locality.  In- 
vestigations made  by  experts  in  many  places,  the  advanced 
steps  taken  by  individual  employers  and  capitalists,  and  by 
organizations,  governmental  and  private,  bear  witness  to  the 
importance  of  the  problem.  Industry  owes  it  to  itself,  to  its 
workers,  and  to  the  community  to  concern  itself  with  proper 
housing  facilities. 

Large  corporations  long  ago  found  the  profitableness  of 
good  housing.  Fifty  years  ago  the  Amoskeag  Manufacturing 
Company,  a  textile  corporation  of  Manchester,  New  Hamp- 
shire, erected  scores  of  brick  houses,  in  entire  blocks  along 
the  streets  adjacent  to  its  plant.  These  houses  have  been 
maintained  in  good  condition  to  the  present  day.  Improve- 
ments have  been  made  from  time  to  time,  as  needed,  and 
houses  of  a  more  modern  type  were  built  as  required.  Rents 
have  been  made  low  to  employees.  The  result  has  been  indus- 
trial peace  and  good-will  toward  the  corporation  in  its  great 
industrial  community.  Fifty  years  ago,  then,  a  great  corpora- 
tion built  and  rented  homes  to  its  employees.  Fifty  years  later 
we  find  many  corporations  making  loans  to  employees  or 
otherwise  enabling  them  to  build  homes  for  themselves 

A  striking  example  is  that  of  the  American  Woolen  Com- 
pany at  its  factories  at  Lawrence,  Massachusetts.  The  com- 

321 


322  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

pany  has  just  announced  a  plan  whereby  it  will  furnish  to 
its  employees  90  per  cent  of  the  money  required  to  buy  land 
and  build  homes,  at  a  4^  per  cent  rate  of  interest.  This  plan 
has  one  serious  defect,  which  leaves  it  open  to  criticism  and 
perhaps  may  lead  to  failure,  namely,  the  stipulation  that  should 
the  employee  leave  the  company,  he  will  have  to  find  a  new 
mortgagee  or  the  company  "would  be  obliged  to  foreclose." 
Aside  from  this  point,  however,  the  plan  is  well  devised. 

The  homes  will  be  of  the  single- family  type,  will  each 
cover  about  4,500  feet,  be  equipped  with  electricity,  modern 
plumbing,  and  fittings.  Monthly  payments,  after  an  initial 
payment  of  5  per  cent  of  the  selling  price,  are  to  be  equal 
to  the  rent  for  the  type  of  house.  A  part  of  the  monthly 
payment  will  cover  interest  charges,  taxes,  and  insurance;  the 
remainder  will  go  towards  reducing  the  mortgage.  A  special 
corporation  called  the  Homestead  Association  is  to  handle  the 
project  including  the  mortgages. 

Fairbanks  Morse  Company's  Plan 

One  of  the  most  recent  efforts  in  industrial  housing  is  that 
of  the  Fairbanks  Morse  Company,  at  Beloit,  Wisconsin.  This 
company  employs  about  3,600  men  in  the  manufacture  .of 
engines  and  steam-pumps.  The  development  is  called  "Eclipse 
Park"  and  is  a  garden  village  made  up  entirely  of  single- 
family  detached  houses  for  mechanics  earning  $20  a  week  or 
more.  Some  of  the  houses  are  to  be  for  clerks  and  foremen. 

Eclipse  Park  consists  of  about  53  acres  within  two  miles 
from  the  heart  of  the  city.  Adjoining  this  tract  are  the  athletic 
field  and  works  of  the  company.  Each  house  is  set  back  at 
least  20  feet  from  the  front  line  of  the  lot  to  allow  for 
grass,  shrubs,  and  trees.  Each  house  has  its  own  individuality, 
a  factor  often  neglected  in  building  new  industrial  cities.  The 
distance  between  houses  is  15  feet.  The  lots  are  of  varied 
size  with  a  minimum  width  of  40  feet  and  depth  of  80  feet. 


THE   HOUSING   PROBLEM — WHAT   TO   DO  323 

When  the  project  is  completed  there  will  be  350  houses  of 
various  designs. 

Housing  Betterment  in  Maine 

A  sensible  method  of  determining  how  best  to  meet  the 
housing  needs  of  their  employees  was  used  recently  by  two 
Maine  textile-mills  employing  3,000  men  and  women.  They 
had  a  survey  made  to  determine  the  size  and  type  of  house 
in  which  their  workers  live,  what  rents  they  pay,  how  many 
own  their  own  homes,  the  size  and  type  of  house  preferred 
by  workers  and  their  wives,  what  modern  improvements  they 
care  enough  for  to  pay  for,  what  rents  they  can  be  reasonably 
expected  to  pay  in  view  of  their  income,  how  many  desire 
to  buy  houses,  how  much  they  can  afford  to  pay,  and  the 
terms  on  which  such  homes  can  be  sold.  This  survey,  made 
by  Miss  Edith  Elmer  Wood,1  brought  out  some  interesting 
points. 

In  addition  to  personal  visits  to  homes  of  workers  and 
interviews  with  them  at  the  mills,  Miss  Wood  used  question- 
naires enclosed  in  the  pay  envelopes  to  obtain  her  information. 
She  found  an  overwhelming  demand  for  five  and  six-room 
houses,  with  bath,  electric  light,  stationary  tubs,  and  concrete 
cellar.  Strong  preference  was  shown  for  bungalows.  More 
than  a  third  of  the  families  studied  already  owned  their 
homes. 

The  company  controlling  the  two  mills  decided  to  build 
100  houses  and  purchased  24  acres  to  develop  along  garden 
suburb  plans.  The  first  50  houses  included  10  four-room 
bungalows,  16  semidetached  five-room  houses,  6  detached  five- 
room  houses,  and  18  detached  six-room  houses.  All  contain 
bath,  furnace,  hot-water  boiler,  stationary  tubs,  electric  light, 
and  concrete  cellar. 


1  See    Housing   Betterment    (New   York),    December,    1919,    pages    29-31. 


324  LABOR  MAINTENANCE 

The  Clark  Equipment  Company 

The  way  the  Clark  Equipment  Company  approached  its 
housing  problem  is  worth  noting.  This  concern,  located  in 
Buchanan,  Michigan,  a  town  of  about  4,000,  manufactures 
axles  and  steel  wheels  for  motor  trucks,  and  high-speed  drills 
and  precision  tools.  The  plant  is  located  in  a  park,  all  the 
buildings  being  grouped  around  a  center  garden  and  cultivated 
lawns.  The  approach  to  the  factory  is  through  an  avenue  of 
poplars.  On  the  grounds  is  a  greenhouse  where  a  gardener 
raises  various  plants  for  beautifying  the  park  and  the  indi- 
vidual yards. 

A  shortage  of  houses  induced  the  company  to  plan  the 
building  of  homes  for  employees  to  be  sold  to  them  at  cost. 
The  first  step  was  a  questionnaire  to  employees  followed  by 
a  meeting  in  the  company  theater  (which  seats  1,000)  where 
the  plan  was  explained  by  means  of  talks,  sketches,  and  lan- 
tern-slides. The  company  bought  no  acres  of  land,  40  of 
which  they  planted  and  laid  out  with  wide  streets,  trees,  grass- 
plots,  sidewalks,  water,  gas,  and  electricity. 

In  fixing  the  prices  for  houses,  the  company  added  100 
per  cent  to  the  actual  cost  of  the  lot  and  5  per  cent  on  the 
cost  of  the  house.  This  was  done  to  prevent  speculation  and 
profiteering.  Houses  were  sold  to  employees  at  prices  from 
$1,900  to  $4,500,  and  on  easy  terms  which  paid  off  both  prin- 
cipal and  interest  within  a  certain  number  of  years.  The 
initial  payments  were  from  $180  to  $400,  and  averaged  about 
10  per  cent  of  the  selling  price.  When  payments  have  been 
made  for  five  years  the  purchaser  has  an  equity  sufficient 
to  guarantee  his  good  faith  in  going  through  with  the  deal. 
After  that  period,  therefore,  the  company  remits  the  100  per 
cent  on  the  lot  and  the  5  per  cent  on  the  house  and  applies 
it  to  the  account  of  the  purchaser.  In  this  way  the  employee 
gets  his  home  at  actual  cost.  Forty-four  houses  have  been 
erected  and  more  will  follow. 


TIJE   HOUSING   PROBLEM — WHAT  TO   DO 

The  General  Motors  Corporation 

Among  the  largest  housing  developments  in  the  country 
is  that  of  the  General  Motors  Corporation.  It  will  have  1,000 
houses  at  Flint,  Michigan,  and  500  at  Pontiac.  These  houses 
will  not  all  be  identical ;  they  will  be  of  various  sizes  and  styles. 
The  4-room  bungalows  and  houses  will  have  two  bedrooms, 
a  living-room,  kitchen,  and  bath;  in  the  5-room  bungalows 
the  additional  room  will  be  a  dining-room;  and  in  the  6-  and 
7-room  houses  the  additional  rooms  will  be  bedrooms.  The 
cellars  of  these  houses  will  be  cemented. 

Some  of  these  houses  will  be  frame;  some  with  one-story 
stucco  on  tile  and  second  story  of  shingles;  some  all  stucco 
on  tile;  some  with  one  story  of  brick  veneer,  second  story  all 
shingles  and  some  with  solid  brick  walls.  There  will  be  a 
further  variation  in  the  kind  of  shingles  used. 

The  community,  and  the  houses  of  the  community,  will 
be  modern  in  every  way.  The  houses  will  be  electrically 
lighted,  and  have  every  up-to-date  domestic  appurtenance  as 
well ;  the  streets  will  be  paved  and  planted  with  trees ;  concrete 
paths  (from  concrete  sidewalks)  will  lead  up  to  the  houses 
and  around  to  the  back  door ;  and  grass  will  be  planted  about 
the  houses. 

Aiding  Employees  to  Purchase 

The  General  Motors  Corporation  has  appropriated  a  cer- 
tain sum  of  money  to  assist  its  employees  in  purchasing  homes. 
The  Modern  Housing  Corporation,  under  which  name  the 
company  will  operate,  will  charge  purchasers  the  customary 
6  per  cent  interest  for  the  indebtedness  incurred  in  the 
transaction. 

When  an  employee  buys  one  of  the  houses,  which  cost  from 
$3,500  to  $8,500,  the  General  Motors  Corporation  will  advance 
$800  to  be  used  as  part  of  the  first  payment  on  the  purchase 
and  no  interest  will  be  charged  on  this  sum.  This  is  not  a 


3^6  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

gift.  In  return  for  this  advance  the  company  asks  each  buyer 
to  agree  that,  in  case  he  shall  resign  or  be  discharged  from 
its  employ  within  five  years  from  the  date  of  his  contract 
of  purchase,  the  company  is  to  have  the  privilege  within  30 
days  thereafter  of  buying  his  house.  He  will  be  credited  with 
all  payments  made,  not  including  the  $800  advanced  by  the 
company,  for  principal,  interest,  taxes,  assessments,  and  in- 
surance, and  will  be  charged  with  a  sum  equal  to  rent  at  the 
rate  of  10  per  cent  per  annum  on  the  selling  price  mentioned 
in  the  contract,  from  the  date  of  the  contract,  no  deduction 
being  made  for  depreciation.  No  interest  will  be  allowed  on 
either  side  of  the  statement,  and  the  balance  will  be  paid  to 
whichever  party  is  entitled  to  it.  This  means  that  the  pur- 
chaser has  paid  nothing  more  than  his  rent  during  the 
occupancy. 

The  company  will  also  assist  employees  through  the  $800 
advance  in  buying  houses  for  their  occupancy,  even  if  the 
house  is  not  bought  from  the  Modern  Housing  Corporation, 
but  the  houses  must  be  worth  from  $3,500  to  $8,500.  The 
exact  terms  in  such  cases  will  depend  on  the  merits  of  in- 
dividual cases.  The  above  offers  are  made  revocable  at  any 
time. 

If  an  employee  wishes  to  furnish  his  own  plans,  or  have 
plans  specially  drawn  for  him  by  the  Housing  Corporation 
and  have  an  independent  contractor  do  his  building,  the 
General  Motors  Corporation  will  assist  him  as  above,  but  he 
must  submit  his  plans  and  specifications  for  approval.  In 
addition  he  must  submit  bids  from  at  least  two  independent 
contractors,  and  these  bids  will  be  checked  up  by  the  engineer- 
ing department  as  to  fairness  of  price.  Upon  approval  of  the 
plans,  the  General  Motors  Corporation  will  advance  the  $800, 
if  with  such  aid  the  employee  will  be  able  to  finance  the  acquisi- 
tion of  the  lot  and  the  building  of  the  house,  and  if  the 
employee  will  secure  the  company  against  loss,  should  he  leave 


THE   HOUSING   PROBLEM — WHAT   TO   DO  327 

or  be  discharged  from  service  within  five  years  from  the  date 
of  the  advance  of  the  $800. 

In  explaining  the  plan  to  employees  the  company  makes 
the  following  statement: 

After  careful  study,  the  company  believes  itself  justified 
in  spending  $800  in  assisting  each  employee  to  invest  his 
savings  in  a  home  of  the  value  stated,  near  its  plants,  and 
in  making  it  worth  while  for  the  employee  to  continue  in 
its  employ  for  five  years.  If  he  does  not  wish  to  continue 
in  its  employ  he  need  not  do  so ;  he  is  perfectly  free  to  leave 
at  any  moment.  But  it  would  be  manifestly  unfair  to  the 
company  that  he  should  do  this  and  take  away  with  him  or 
reap  the  benefit  of  the  $800  advanced  by  the  company  to 
enable  him,  because  he  is  an  employee,  to  acquire  a  home  at 
a  pre-war  price.  Of  course  the  company  has  no  thought  of 
reaping  a  profit  from  any  rise  in  value  of  the  home.  If  the 
employee  wishes  to  sell  in  order  to  realize  a  profit  he  is  at 
perfect  liberty  to  do  so,  on  repaying  the  company  the  $800 
advanced  to  him,  plus  the  balance  due  on  the  contract. 

Method  of  Payment  on  Dwellings 

A  minimum  cash  payment  of  5  per  cent  of  the  selling  price 
is  required  in  addition  to  the  $800  advanced  by  the  company. 
Each  purchaser  must  devote  25  per  cent  of  his  earnings  each 
year  to  the  payment  of  principal,  interest,  taxes,  and  fire 
insurance  on  his  dwelling  until  it  is  fully  paid  for.  After 
the  estimated  cost  of  taxes  and  fire  insurance  is  deducted, 
the  balance  of  25  per  cent  is  divided  into  12  equal  parts  which 
represent  the  12  instalments  falling  due  each  year.  These 
monthly  instalments  will  pay  the  interest  on  the  total  indebted- 
ness incurred  by  the  contract  of  purchase  as  well  as  a  portion 
of  the  principal  of  the  debt,  so  that  if  the  purchaser  fulfils 
his  agreement,  he  will  be  paying  each  month  a  slightly  smaller 
part  of  the  instalment  as  interest,  and  a  slightly  greater  pay- 
ment on  account  of  the  principal.  In  this  way  both  interest 
and  principal  are  reduced. 


LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

When  employees  paying  money  into  the  Employees'  Sav- 
ings Fund  buy  homes  on  contracts  requiring  monthly  pay- 
ments, it  may  happen  that  their  earnings  will  not  be  large 
enough  to  allow  them  both  to  pay  money  into  the  savings 
fund  and  to  make  the  necessary  payments  for  their  houses. 
Such  employees  may  arrange  with  the  General  Motors  Cor- 
poration that  their  monthly  payments  into  the  savings  fund 
be  invested  in  their  contracts  for  the  purchase  of  dwellings 
without  in  any  way  forfeiting  any  rights  under  the  savings 
and  investment  plan. 

Purchasers  can  pay  off  the  indebtedness  on  their  houses 
faster  than  at  the  agreed  rate  if  they  so  desire.  When  the 
full  amount  is  paid  up  the  employee  will  receive  a  warranty 
deed  and  abstract  guaranty  or  certificate  of  title,  but  to  receive 
the  deed  within  the  five-year  period  mentioned  above,  the 
purchaser  will  be  expected  to  repay  the  $800  advanced  by  the 
company. 

The  time  required  to  pay  off  the  indebtedness  on  the  pur- 
chase of  a  home  will  vary  with  the  individual  and  the  com- 
pany has  prepared  figures  to  show  each  purchaser  just  how 
long  it  will  take.  Very  often  the  dwelling  will  be  fully  paid 
for  at  the  end  of  ten  years.  Some  may  have  saved  enough 
in  the  savings  and  investment  fund  to  complete  the  payments 
on  the  dwelling;  but  if  not,  they  may  obtain  a  mortgage  on 
the  house  for  the  unpaid  balance.  In  any  event,  the  employee 
will  receive  a  warranty  deed  for  his  home  and  an  abstract  or 
certificate  of  title. 

A  Unique  Development 

Another  interesting  development  in  housing,  is  that  of  the 
Talbot  Mills  at  South  Billerica,  Massachusetts.  The  company 
seeks  to  keep  up  community  pride  in  the  attractiveness  of  the 
village  by  means  of  prize  competitions.  An  example  is  the 
"Village  Improvement  Competition"  conducted  two  years  ago 


THE   HOUSING   PROBLEM — WHAT   TO   DO  329 

at  which  five  classes  of  prizes  were  offered.  The  competition 
was  open  to  all  persons,  men,  women,  and  children,  living  in 
the  company's  houses  and  no  restriction  was  made  as  to  the 
number  of  competitions  a  person  might  enter  into.  Prizes 
were  distributed  as  follows: 

Class  i.  Best-kept  premises,  front  and  rear.  Points 
considered  were:  Condition  of  lawn,  paths,  and  back  yards, 
including  freedom  from  weeds,  and  general  neatness  of 
grounds  and  exterior  of  house.  Wherever  there  was  a  strip 
of  sidewalk  turf  it  was  considered  part  of  the  lawn.  Five 
prizes:  $10,  $5,  $4,  $3,  $2. 

Class  2.  Vines.  On  houses,  porches,  arbors,  trellises,  or 
other  parts  in  front  of  premises.  Five  prizes:  $5,  $4, 
$3,  $2,  $i. 

Class  3.  Window-  and  Porch-Boxes.  Five  prizes:  $5, 
$4,  $3,  $2,  $i. 

Class  4.  Flower  Gardens.  Design  or  arrangement  were 
considered,  as  well  as  variety  and  quantity  of  flowers.  Five 
prizes:  $5,  $4,  $3,  $2,  $i. 

Class  5.  Vegetable  Gardens.  This  competition  was  open 
only  to  children  under  16  years  of  age,  but  suggestions  and 
assistance  from  parents  were  allowed.  Points  considered 
were:  quality,  quantity,  and  variety  of  vegetables  and  neat- 
ness of  garden.  The  garden  was  not  to  exceed  600  square 
feet  in  area.  Five  prizes:  $5,  $4,  $3,  $2,  $i. 

In  addition  to  the  money  awards  offered,  the  winner  of 
the  first  and  second  prizes  in  each  class  were  allowed  a  choice 
from  a  list  of  books  and  magazines  on  gardening  in  its  various 
branches. 

The  company  gave  participants  the  free  use  of  lawn- 
mowers.  Tenants  were  required  to  follow  these  rules: 

I.  No  nails  or  screws  to  be  used  on  exterior  of  houses. 
The  company  will  supply  and  put  up,  without  charge, 
trellises  for  vines  and  boxes  for  windows  and 
porches  on  application  made  to  the  repair-shop  be- 
fore May  I. 


33°  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

2.  Vegetable  gardens  must  be  planted  back  of  a  line  con- 
necting the  rears  of  the  houses. 

The  Goodyear  Tire  and  Rubber  Company 

A  few  other  examples  may  be  cited  to  show  the  extent 
and  variety  of  the  movement  for  better  housing  for  workers. 

"Goodyear  Heights"  consists  of  400  acres  laid  out  by 
the  Goodyear  Tire  and  Rubber  Company  at  Akron,  Ohio,  ac- 
cording to  Garden  City  principles.  Lots  and  single  houses 
are  sold  to  employees  at  cost  on  the  instalment  plan.  The 
purchaser  carries  a  special  diminishing  life  insurance  policy 
so  that  in  case  of  death  the  insurance  will  pay  for  the  property. 
The  houses  have  cost  between  $1,800  and  $4,000. 

The  Firestone  Tire  and  Rubber  Company 

"Firestone  Park"  is  a  housing  development  of  the  Fire- 
stone Tire  and  Rubber  Company,  also  in  Akron,  in  which 
the  company  has  put  about  $1,500,000.  The  land  constituting 
this  development  allows  for  the  construction  of  about  900 
homes  for  workers.  Provision  is  made  for  a  public  school, 
churches,  and  a  public  park.  The  lots  or  houses  are  purchased 
by  workers  by  a  payment  of  5  per  cent  with  their  order  and 
monthly  payments  of  i  per  cent  out  of  which  the  interest  on 
the  investment,  insurance  and  taxes  are  paid  by  the  company. 
Houses  are  built,  if  the  workers  desire,  by  a  real  estate  com- 
pany formed  by  the  Firestone  Company  as  a  subsidiary  cor- 
poration, and  are  sold  at  prices  up  to  $3,000.  Allowance  of 
6  per  cent  is  made  on  the  house  if  the  purchaser  wants  to 
bear  the  cost  of  insurance. 

The  Gary  Plan 

Gary,  Indiana,  is  a  town  developed  by  the  United  States 
Steel  Corporation.  The  Gary  Land  Company,  a  subsidiary 


THE  HOUSING   PROBLEM — WHAT  TO   DO  33 1 

of  the  Steel  Corporation  conducts  the  housing  development 
which  extends  over  an  area  of  something  more  than  27  square 
miles  and  consists  of  about  1,000  houses.  Rents  range  from 
$12  a  month  up. 

Indian  Hill 

"Indian  Hill"  at  Worcester,  Massachusetts,  is  a  notable 
achievement  of  the  Norton  Grinding  Company.  Its  houses 
are  of  real  beauty  and  the  whole  colony  presents  a  decided 
contrast  from  the  usual  industrial  town.  The  employee  who 
wishes  to  purchase,  makes  an  initial  payment  of  10  per  cent 
of  the  purchase  price.  The  balance  is  covered  by  two  notes, 
one  for  $1,000  payable  in  12  years  at  5  per  cent,  the  other, 
for  the  balance,  is  a  demand  note  with  interest  at  5  per  cent. 
A  purchase-money  mortgage  secures  both  notes.  Payment 
of  the  $1,000  is  insured  by  the  agreement  of  the  purchaser 
to  buy  5  shares  in  a  co-operative  bank  and  to  continue  pay- 
ments on  those  shares  until  his  deposits  mature  in  the  sum 
of  $1,000 — which  occurs  in  about  12  years.  It  is  agreed  by 
the  company  that  it  will  not  make  demand  on  the  demand 
note  so  long  as  the  purchaser  continues  to  make  his  monthly 
payments  of  interest  to  the  company,  and  the  monthly  pay- 
ments to  the  co-operative  bank.  It  is  also  agreed  by  the 
company  that  in  case  of  the  death  or  incapacity  of  the  pur- 
chaser or  within  12  years  (provided  he  is  not  over  60  years 
old  at  that  time)  it  will  accept  the  surrender  value  of  the 
co-operative  bank  shares  as  complete  payment  of  the  time 
note. 

Other  Noteworthy  Efforts 

Among  other  noteworthy  efforts  at  housing  workers 
properly  are  the  famous  model  town  of  Leclaire,  Illinois,  built 
by  the  N.  O.  Nelson  Company,  and  the  town  of  Hopedale, 
Massachusetts,  laid  out  by  the  Draper  Company. 


332  LABOR  MAINTENANCE 

Further  Instances 

In  England  notable  housing  developments  are  Letchworth 
Village,  Bourneville,  Port  Sunlight,  and  Hampsted  Garden 
Suburbs. 

The  Bradley  Knitting  Company,  Delavan,  Wisconsin,  is 
spending  $80,000  in  building  a  hotel  to  accommodate  100 
girls.  Saks  and  Company  in  New  York  City  are  also  building 
a  hotel  for  women  employees.2 

Housing  the  Unmarried  Worker 

Housing  the  single  worker  presents  an  angle  of  the  ques- 
tion which  needs  careful  study.  One  cannot  generalize  about 
this.  It  is  a  practical  question  upon  which  the  light  of  ex- 
perience must  be  thrown.  A  notable  effort  in  this  direction 
is  that  of  the  General  Motors  Corporation  which  is  erecting 
in  Flint,  Michigan,  a  "hotel  club"  for  men.  About  $2,500,000 
are  being  spent  by  the  corporation  to  erect  a  7-story  fireproof 
dormitory  with  facilities  for  recreation  sufficient  to  accom- 
modate 2,759  persons.  The  main  building  is  to  be  280  feet 
long  and  214  feet  deep.  The  upper  floors  will  provide  sleep- 
ing-rooms for  i, 1 68  men  and  each  room  is  to  have  its  own 
lavatory  with  hot  and  cold  water,  and  a  closet  for  clothes. 

Each  floor  is  to  have  4  general  toilet-rooms  equipped  with 
shower  baths.  Two  light  courts  above  the  first  story,  each 
86  by  142  feet  wide,  allow  light  and  air  for  all  bedrooms. 

Public  recreation  rooms  and  other  rooms  for  workers 
and  their  families  will  take  up  the  main  floor  and  basement. 


2  Other  examples  of  industrial  housing  are  the  following:  American  Chain 
Company,  Bridgeport,  Conn.;  Remington  Arms  Company,  Bridgeport,  Conn.;  Colorado 
Fuel  and  Iron  Company,  in  their  various  mining  towns;  American  Viscose  Company, 
Marcus  Hook,  Pa.;  American  Rolling  Mill  Company,  Middleton,  Ohio;  Peacedale 
Manufacturing  Company,  Peacedale,  Pa.;  Maryland  Steel  Company,  Sparrow's  Point, 
Md. ;  Youngstown  Sheet  and  Tube  Company,  Youngstown,  Ohio;  Merchant  Ship- 
building Corporation,  Harriman,  Pa.;  The  Wayne  Coal  Company,  Steubenville,  Ohio; 
Clintpnville  Development  Company,  Clintonville,  Wis. ;  Atlantic  Mills  Company, 
Providence,  R.  I.;  Root  and  Vandervoort,  East  Moline,  111.;  New  Jersey  Zinc 
Company,  Palmerton,  Pa.;  Plymouth  Cordage  Company,  Plymouth,  Mass.;  Talbot 
Mills,  North  Billerica,  Mass.;  Ludlow  Associates,  Ludlow,  Mass,;  Newport  News 
Shipbuilding  and  Dry  Dock  Company,  Newport  News,  Va. ;  New  York  Shipbuilding 
Company,  Camden,  N.  J.;  Merchant  Shipbuilding  Corporation,  Harriman,  Pa. 


THE   HOUSING   PROBLEM — WHAT  TO  DO  333 

A  library  with  a  capacity  of  6,000  volumes,  a  billiard  and 
game  room,  a  gymnasium  and  smaller  exercise  room,  in- 
structor's office,  examination  room,  dressing-room  and  bath- 
room are  provided  for  in  this  section  of  the  building. 

Among  other  features  are  to  be  classrooms  for  180,  an 
auditorium  seating  1,279,  bowling-alleys,  cafeteria,  restaurant, 
Turkish  bath,  a  drugstore,  a  tailor-shop,  a  shoeshop,  and  a 
men's  furnishing  store.  The  proposed  swimming-pool,  25 
by  75  feet,  with  a  spectators'  gallery  for  184  persons,  will  be 
the  largest  swimming-pool  in  the  state. 

The  Real  Estate  Bureau  and  Room  Registry 

Where  a  plant  is  in  a  large  city  it  often  is  found  ad- 
vantageous to  maintain  a  real  estate  bureau  or  office,  or  a 
room  registry  for  the  convenience  of  new  and  old  employees. 
Such  a  bureau,  which  is  generally  under  the  supervision  of 
the  service  department,  works  in  very  close  connection  with 
the  employment  department.  Its  function  is  to  investigate  the 
housing  possibilities  of  the  community  and  to  direct  workers 
to  the  best  available  living  quarters.  Lists  of  facilities  are 
kept  on  file  and  are  posted  on  bulletin-boards.  Frequent  check- 
up (daily  if  the  number  of  applicants  is  large)  is  necessary 
to  make  sure  that  the  places  listed  are  still  available.  In  a 
project  of  this  sort  it  will  not  be  difficult  to  enlist  the  co- 
operation of  the  community.  Bureaus  such  as  described  have 
been  very  successful  at  the  yards  of  the  Bethlehem  Shipbuild- 
ing Corporation  and  other  shipbuilding  concerns,  at  the  Miller 
Lock  Company,  Philadelphia ;  the  Remington  Arms  Company, 
Bridgeport;  and  other  plants. 

At  the  Erie  works  of  the  General  Electric  Company,  em- 
ployees who  plan  to  move  are  asked  to  notify  the  service 
department.  This  gives  opportunity  to  place  Erie  workers  in 
suitable  quarters  before  the  general  public  becomes  aware  of 
the  vacancy. 


334  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

Separate  Housing  Corporation — The   Best   Method 

Objections  have  been  raised  against  control  of  housing 
projects  directly  by  an  industrial  corporation  on  the  ground 
that  such  activity  takes  up  the  time  of  a  large  number  of 
persons,  involves  the  expenditure  or  the  tying  up,  by  invest- 
ment, of  capital  which  may  be  needed  in  manufacturing  and 
gives  the  company  an  undue  influence  over  its  employees. 

Experience  has  made  it  clear  that  the  best  method  of 
handling  industrial  housing  is  through  specially  organized 
corporations  which  assume  the  burden  of  finance  and  service. 
Usually  these  corporations  take  the  form  of  joint-stock  cor- 
porations and  in  their  management  are  distinctly  separated 
from  the  concern  which  fosters  them.3 

How  to  Go  About  It 

By  far  the  best  suggestions  for  procedure  in  securing  the 
best  possible  housing  in  the  shortest  time  practicable  and  at 
a  minimum  cost  are  outlined  in  a  statement  by  John  Nolen 
prepared  originally  for  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  of  the 
United  States.  So  excellent  are  Mr.  Nolen's  program  and  the 
questionnaire  for  employers  that  both  are  here  reprinted  in 
full: 

PROGRAM 

I.  Formation  of  local  house-building  company.    Similar,  for  example, 
to   the   Kenosha  House   Building   Company,   of  Kenosha,  Wis- 


*  Among  concerns  which  have  adopted  this  method  are  the  following.  The  names 
given  in  parentheses  are  the  names  of  separate  corporations  referred  to  above. 
Goodyear  Tire  and  Rubber  Company,  Akron,  Ohio.  (Goodyear  Heights  Realty 
Company);  Firestone  Tire  and  Rubber  Company,  Akron,  Ohio.  (Coventry  Land 
Company) ;  Brighton  Mills,  Alwood,  N.  J.  (Alwood  Mutual  Homes  Company) ; 
Fairbanks,  Morse  and  Company,  Beloit,  Wis.  (Eclipse  Home  Makers,  Incorporated) ; 
Bristol  Brass  Company,  Bristol,  Conn.  (King  Terrace  Land  Company);  Midvale 
Steel  and  Iron  Company,  Coatesville,  P». ;  Connecticut  Mills  Company,  Danielson, 
Conn.  (Danielson  Construction  Company)  ;  American  Sheet  and  Tin  Plate  Company, 
Donora,  Pa.;  Minnesota  Steel  and  Iron  Company,  Duluth,  Minn.;  Dennison  Manu- 
facturing Company,  Framingham,  Mass.  (Framingham  Associates,  Incorporated) ; 
United  States  Steel  Corporation,  Gary,  Ind.  (Gary  Land  Company) ;  New  Jersey 
Zinc  Company,  Palmerton,  Pa.  (Palmerton  Land  Company) ;  Youngstown  Sheet 
and  Tube  Company,  Youngstown,  Ohio.  (Buckeye  Land  Company);  Pennsylvania 
Rubber  Company,  Jeannette,  Pa.  (Parco  Realty  Company) ;  American  Sheet  Steel 
Company,  Vandergrift,  Pa. 


THE   HOUSING   PROBLEM — WHAT   TO   DO  335 

consin,  and  the  Bridgeport  Housing  Company,  Bridgeport,  Con- 
necticut. 

2.  Get  facts  on  the  demand: 

(a)  Extent  of  demand: 

Names  of  places. 

Estimated   number   of   houses   needed   in   each   place. 
(See  questionnaire,  page  337.) 

(b)  Character  of  demand: 

Houses  for  rent. 
Houses  for  sale. 
Land  for  sale. 

3.  Methods  of  meeting  demand:  - 

(a)  Temporary  housing: 

New  and  old. 

(b)  Adoption  of  factory  methods: 

Standardization. 

Economic  construction  in  concrete,  brick,  wood,  etc.; 

the  mill-cut  house. 
Wholesale  operations. 

(c)  Operations  should  not  be  confined  to  any  one  house  or 

method.  All  should  be  employed.  Whatever  types 
have  advantages  of  economy  of  land  cost  or  of  land 
construction  should  be  included.  Group  houses,  using 
permanent  materials,  are  especially  recommended  for 
rent.  The  use  of  different  types  takes  into  account 
the  fact  that  different  people  have  different  tastes. 

(d)  Early  purchase  of  land.     Land  developments,  including 

restrictions  and  districting.  Consideration  of  legal 
powers. 

(e)  Related  towns  and  city  planning: 

Transportation. 

Recreation — public  and  semipublic. 
Schools  and  other  local  public  buildings. 
Zone  and  building  regulations. 

4.  How  to  finance  the  small  house: 

(a)  Sound  schemes  for  houses  for  rent  as  permanent  invest- 

ment. 

(b)  Sound  schemes  for  houses  for  sale.    Easy  terms. 


336  LABOR  MAINTENANCE 

(c)  Sound  scheme  for  the  sale  of  lots. 

(d)  Prevention  of  excessive  speculation. 

5.  Financial  obstacles: 

(a)  Low    rate    of    interest    (usually    5    or    6   per   cent  net    as 

maximum). 

(b)  Large  capital  required  (about  $1,000  per  .family). 

(c)  Investment   is   permanent,    as   money   cannot    be   easily   or 

quickly  withdrawn. 

(d)  Uncertainty  of  future  (as  to  investment  itself,   and   annual 

return;  effect  of  hard  times  upon  real  estate). 

(e)  Opinion  that  housing  by  employer  may  interfere  with  individual 

rights  of  employees  (paternalism). 

6.  What  does  experience  teach? 

(a)  Consider   lessons   of   low-cost   housing  schemes.    See  list  in 

"A  Good  Home  for  Every  Wage-Earner,"  published  by 
the  American  Civic  Association.  Note  especially  recent 
experiences  in: 

Akron  Hopedale  Salem 

Billerica  Kenosha  Toronto 

Bound  Brook  Kistler  Washington 

Bridgeport  Lawrence  Waterbury 

Cincinnati  Nanticoke  Wilmington 

Duluth  New  Haven  Worcester 

Flint  Philadelphia  Youngstown 

(b)  Consideration  of  financial  housing  methods  hitherto  em- 

ployed. 

(c)  Consideration  of  ordinary  commercial  housing  methods, 

as  in  Philadelphia,   for  example. 

7.  Legal  aspects. 

Among  special  points  requiring  consideration  are:  Revision  of 
building  code;  power  to  acquire  land  for  housing;  eminent 
domain;  "excess  condemnation";  districting;  lighting  the  den- 
sity of  houses;  linking  housing  with  city  planning;  main 
thoroughfares;  transportation;  local  streets;  parks  and  play- 
grounds; schools  and  other  public  buildings;  distributing  the 
cost  of  public  improvements. 


THE  HOUSING  PROBLEM — WHAT  TO  DO  337 

SUMMARY 
Main  Points  to  Keep  in  Mind 

1.  Need  to  form  local  house-building  committee  at  once. 

2.  Local  survey  of  existing  conditions. 

3.  Employ  all  available  methods  of  meeting  demand. 

4.  Recognize  importance  of  capital  and  secure  fund  equal  to  $500, 

multiplied  by  number  of  houses  desired. 

5.  A  frank  recognition  of  the  financial  obstacles  will  be  first  step 

toward  overcoming  them. 

6.  American  housing  experience  is  not  altogether  encouraging ;  never- 

theless, it  is  a  mistake  to  ignore  it. 

7.  Legal   aspects   should  be   given  early   consideration;   action  need 

not  wait  upon  new  laws. 

QUESTIONNAIRE  FOR  THE  EMPLOYER 

1.  How  many  of  your  employees  are  in  need  of  housing  now  or  will 

require  housing  in  the  immediate  future  ? 

2.  If  you  expect  to  increase  the  number  of  your  employees,  what 

will  that  number  probably  be,  and  what  percentage  will  have 
to  be  provided  with  housing  accommodations? 

3.  How  many  of  the  number  of  employees  stated  above  in  questions 

i  and  2  are  to  be  provided  with  housing  for  the  period  of  the 
war  only?  Do  you  think  these  employees  should  be  housed 
in  temporary  structures? 

4.  State  what  proportion  of  the  employees  referred  to  in  questions 

i  and  2  are  men  and  women. 

5.  State  what  proportion  are  skilled  and  unskilled. 

6.  What   is   the   average  weekly   pay   of  different   classes   of  labor 

included  in  the  above  estimate?     Give  range  and  average. 

7.  State  the  proportion  of  different  nationalities  represented. 

8.  What  is  the  usual  proportion  of  married  men  in  your  plant? 

9.  Do  you  recommend  that  houses  for  employees  be  built  for  sale 

on  long-term  payments,  or  held  by  company  and  rented,  or  both  ? 

10.  Do   you   favor  providing  houses   in  partly  built-up  sections,   or 

outside  such  sections,  where  land  is  cheaper  and  more  houses 
could  be  provided  quickly  under  better  conditions  and  at  a 
lower  price? 


33$  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

11.  Have  you  any  suggestion  to  offer  as  to  parcels  of  land  available 

for   the   housing   of   working   men?     If   so,   please   send    full 
information  with  map  or  diagram  showing  location,  if  possible. 

12.  What  types  or  type  of  the  following  houses,  in  your  opinion,  are 

most  desirable  and  most  likely  to  meet  the  demand  in  your 
city? 

(a)  The  single-family  house,  the  double  house,  the  two-family 

house,  or  the  multiple  dwelling? 

(b)  The  detached  house,  the  semidetached  house,  or  the  houses 

built  in  terrace  rows? 

(c)  Houses   of  wood,  terra   cotta,  poured  concrete,   concrete 

blocks,  stucco,  or  bricks? 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

FINANCIAL  AIDS— MUTUAL  BENEFIT 
ASSOCIATIONS 

The  Elimination  of  Uncertainty  as  to  the  Future 

An  adequate  wage  is  the  greatest  incentive  to  good  work 
and  satisfaction  in  doing  it.  t  The  wages  a  man  gets  con- 
stitute the  basis  of  his  industrial  outlook  as  well  as  his  out- 
look on  life.  He  must  have  sufficient  return,  in  the  form  of 
wages  or  salary,  to  support  himself  and  those  dependent  on 
him  in  a  self-respecting  fashion. 

An  adequate  wage,  moreover,  implies  more  than  a  means 
of  living  from  day  to  day.  It  implies  provision  for  the  future. 
It  is  not  enough  for  the  worker  to  pay  his  way  and  rear  his 
family.  He  must  lay  by  something  for  that  period  when 
he  will  have  ceased  working  and  other  members  of  his  family 
may  not  be  able  to  take  up  the  burden  which  he  lays  down. 
The  pay  of  the  worker,  in  every  kind  of  activity,  should  be 
ample  to  provide  for  both  the  present  and  the  future.  Not 
till  then  does  the  workman  become  100  per  cent  efficient, 
fearing  no  rainy  day  and  concentrating  all  his  energies  upon 
the  task  in  hand. 

Methods  of  Providing  for  the  Future 

But  merely  receiving  "good  wages"  day  by  day  or  month 
by  month,  will  not  enable  the  worker  to  prepare  for  the  future. 
He  needs  to  be  shown  how  to  save,  and  how  to  invest  his 
savings.  His  desire  to  save  needs  to  be  stimulated  and  rein- 
forced by  active  co-operation  and  aid  on  the  part  of  his 
employer.  There  are  ways  in  which  such  aid  may  be  given 

339 


340  LABOR    MAINTENANCE 

which  are  economically  sound  and  which  have  proved  them- 
selves decidedly  good  business. 

The  methods  developed  in  recent  years  of  increasing  provi- 
sion for  the  future  of  the  worker  fall  under  three  main 
headings : 

1.  Mutual  benefit  associations 

2.  Group  insurance 

3.  Profit-sharing 

The  Nature  and  Growth  of  Mutual  Associations 

The  service  of  the  mutual  benefit  association  is  in  the 
nature  of  limited  insurance  for  the  workman  against  accident, 
sickness,  old  age,  death,  or  other  adversity.  It  is  the  simplest 
and  least  expensive  means  taken  to  compensate  for  the  failure 
or  inability  of  the  workman  to  save  through  years  of  active 
labor.  It  is  a  development  of  the  last  35  years,  and  has  been 
adopted  by  national  and  local  trade  unions,  by  groups  of 
working  men,  by  industrial  establishments,  and  by  employers 
and  employees  operating  jointly.  According  to  the  secretary 
of  the  Flint  (Michigan)  Vehicle  Factories  Mutual  Benefit 
Association  there  are  nearly  700  benefit  and  relief  associations 
in  the  United  States.  The  purpose  always  has  been  to  provide 
benefit  for  wage-earners  and  persons  on  small  salaries.  The 
funds  established  and  the  organizations  maintaining  them  have 
borne  various  names,  such  as  fund,  association,  society,  or 
department. 

The  lines  of  demarcation  among  the  four  kinds  of 
organizations  just  mentioned  are  not  always  clear.  For  ex- 
ample, a  labor  union  fund  may  expand  into  an  independent 
benefit  society.  Again,  benefit  societies  may  be  classed  as 
national  or  international,  and  local.  We  are  concerned  in 
the  present  volume  particularly  with  the  plan  and  function 
of  the  local,  industrial,  mutual  benefit  association. 


MUTUAL   BENEFIT   ASSOCIATIONS  341 

Chief  Forms  of  Benefits 

The  two  most  usual  forms  of  benefit  have  been  provision 
against  loss  of  wages  occasioned  by  disability  and  provision 
of  funeral  expenses  in  the  case  of  death.  The  temporary 
disability  benefits  are  generally  intended  to  cover  only  par- 
tially the  loss  of  earnings  occasioned  by  an  illness  of  ordinary 
length — of  at  least  one  week — or  by  an  accident.  They  are 
never  intended  to  pay  an  amount  exceeding  the  wages  lost. 

Some  of  the  associations  pay  death  benefits  only,  some 
only  temporary  disability  benefits.  The  far  greater  number 
of  organizations,  however,  pay  both  kinds,  and  many  societies 
provide  additional  benefits.  A  small  percentage  of  the  associa- 
tions provide  old-age  insurance.  Chief  of  these  are  the  rail- 
road pension  funds,  which  provide  for  the  superannuation 
of  railroad  employees. 

How  the  Employer  Can  Help 

In  origin,  the  mutual  benefit  associations  were  distinctly 
the  creation  of  the  workers  themselves.  Workers  are  every- 
where agreed  that  such  an  association  is  a  ''mighty  good 
thing."  This  appreciation,  increasing  year  by  year,  has  en- 
abled the  employer,  and  others  who  desire  to  aid  the  workers 
in  their  efforts,  to  develop  and  extend  this  form  of  provision 
against  future  want.  Many  employers  have  shown  themselves 
ready  to  aid  the  movement.  It  is  safe  to  say,  indeed,  that 
the  best  mutual  benefit  associations  now  in  existence  are  those 
managed  by  a  joint  administration  of  employer  and  worker. 

The  employer,  though  he  may  have  first  suggested  the 
matter,  may  remain  in  the  background.  Yet  he  may  give 
such  suggestion  and  approval  as  to  insure  wise  and  conserva- 
tive management  in  the  association  when  once  established. 
He  may  be  available  for  advice  in  any  time  of  need.  The 
best  condition  of  all  is  found  when  the  spirit  of  the  employer 
or  of  the  establishment  permeates  the  body  of  workers  in  such 


342  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

a  way  that  whatever  is  done  shall  be  done  loyally  and  for  the 
greatest  good  of  the  whole  number  of  people  concerned.  Such 
phrases  as  the  "Dodge  idea"  and  "the  Filene  system"  convey 
a  world  of  meaning.  Great  business  and  industrial  establish- 
ments the  country  over  are  coming  as  never  before  to  appre- 
ciate the  value  of  esprit  de  corps  and  the  individuality  of  a 
concern. 

The  Basis  of  a  Successful  Organization 

Like  any  other  important  movement  among  industrial 
workers,  the  mutual  benefit  association  must  be  properly 
launched.  The  first  step  must  consist  of  spreading  the  in- 
formation among  workers.  This  can  be  done  by  word  of 
mouth  from  superintendents,  foremen,  and  influential  persons 
among  the  employees,  and  by  means  of  printed  material  ex- 
plaining the  nature  and  workings  of  the  benefit  association. 
Employees  must  be  made  to  understand  its  value  and  feasi- 
bility and  its  desirability  in  their  establishment.  This  is  the 
real  beginning.  No  actual  organization  should  be  undertaken 
until  the  great  majority  of  persons  concerned,  or  to  be  later 
enrolled,  have  come  to  understand  clearly  the  nature  of  the 
problem  and  express  their  willingness  or  desire  to  enter  into 
it.  It  must  be  a  democratic  movement,  democratic  in  its  origin 
and  in  its  control. 

Procedure  in  Organizing 

The  mutual  benefit  association  should  be  organized  like 
any  other  society  or  club  of  democratic  origin  and  with 
democratic  ends  in  view.  When  the  ground  has  been  thor- 
oughly worked  over,  so  that  a  group  of  industrial  workers 
is  ready  to  organize,  a  mass  meeting  should  be  called.  The 
promoters  of  the  organization  should  present  definite  plans  at 
this  meeting  and  call  for  a  full  and  free  discussion  of  them. 
Conditions  should  be  prepared  so  thoroughly  that  action  may 


MUTUAL   BENEFIT   ASSOCIATIONS  343 

be  taken  without  undue  delay.  A  number  of  preliminary 
meetings,  in  which  misunderstandings  and  even  jealousies  may 
arise,  may  check  or  even  overthrow  the  movement  at  the 
beginning.  There  will  be  the  usual  officers  and  committees 
in  such  an  organization,  and  they  should  be  elected  by  the 
votes  of  fellow-employees. 

There  must  be  a  strict  adherence  by  the  members  of  an 
organization  to  its  rules  of  conduct  and  by-laws.  To  accom- 
plish this  it  is  scarcely  necessary  to  say  that  the  regulations 
of  an  organization  should  be  comparatively  simple,  easily 
understood  by  the  average  person,  and  easily  obeyed. 

Sound  Financial  Policy 

Before  establishing  a  reserve  fund,  a  careful  estimate  of 
the  liabilities  to  be  undertaken  should  be  made.  The  best 
financial  minds  of  the  organization,  or  of  the  firm  back  of  it, 
should  be  enlisted  at  this  point.  Then  a  reserve  fund  adequate 
to  meet  all  the  responsibilities  to  be  assumed  in  the  immediate 
future  must  be  established.  The  best  business  methods  must 
be  adopted  in  administering  the  fund.  It  must  be  in  the 
hands  of  persons  who  possess  proved  financial  experience  and 
also  the  entire  confidence  of  employer  and  fellow-employees. 
From  the  beginning  no  shadow  of  doubt  should  exist  concern- 
ing the  ability,  right  purpose,  and  probity  of  those  who  handle 
the  funds  of  the  mutual  benefit  association. 

Types  of  Organizations 

The  special  kinds  of  organizations  in  this  field  of  indus- 
trial benefit  or  insurance  depend  largely  upon  the  nature  of 
the  establishment  or  field  of  industry  concerned,  and  upon 
the  particular  nature  of  the  benefits  provided.  In  all  cases 
a  definite  constitution,  with  suitable  by-laws,  is  necessary; 
and  it  must  be  made  to  fit  the  case  in  hand. 


344  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

The  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Plan 

One  of  the  oldest  plans  for  mutual  benefit  is  that  of  the 
Pennsylvania  Railroad  relief  department,  which  dates  from 
1886.  Employees  contribute  to  the  relief  fund  and  are  en- 
titled to  certain  fixed  sums  when  disabled  on  account  of  sick- 
ness or  accident,  and  to  the  payment  of  death  benefits  to  their 
dependents.  The  chief  reasons  for  establishing  this  depart- 
ment, according  to  E.  B.  Hunt,  one  of  the  officials  of  the 
company,  were: 

1.  Accidents  under  methods  of  operating  railroads  at  the 
time  were  more  frequent  than  at  present.    The  laws  regard- 
ing accidental  injuries  being  inadequate,  the  company  adopted 
the  policy  of  furnishing  surgical  treatment,  and  in  deserving 
cases   paid   wages   during   at   least   part   of   the   period   of 
disablement,  and   funeral  expenses  in  case  of  death.     The 
relief  department  was  organized  to  enable  employees  to  care 
more  fully  for  themselves  under  these  conditions.    The  com- 
pany   paid    all    of   the    expenses    and    deficits    of    the    de- 
partment. 

2.  Often  when  an  employee  was  disabled  by  illness,  his 
family  became  destitute  and  appeals  for  financial  assistance 
were  made  to  officials  and  fellow-employees,  and  even  to  the 
public.    The  object  of  the  relief  department  was  to  encourage 
employees  to  provide  for  themselves. 

3.  As  continuity  of  service  is  always  desirable,  and  is 
conducive  to   efficiency,   it  was   thought   that   if   employees 
could   be   induced   to   become  members   of   the   relief   fund 
they  would,  after  contributing  to  the  fund  for  a  period  of 
years,  be  less  likely  to  sever  their  connection  with  the  com- 
pany for  trivial  causes. 

Classes  of  Membership 

There  are  five  classes  of  membership.  The  rates  of 
monthly  payment  which  admit  to  the  various  classes,  the  rates 
of  contribution,  arid  the  benefits  are  given  in  the  following 
table  (Figure  27). 


MUTUAL   BENEFIT  ASSOCIATIONS 


345 


Item 

First 
Class 

Second 
Class 

Third 
Class 

Fourth 

Class 

Fifth 
Class 

Any  rate 

$35  or 

$55  or 

$75  or 

$95  or 

$  75 

more 

more 

$2    25 

more 

more 

$1    71 

Additional  death  benefit,  equal  to  death 
benefit  of  class: 
Taken  at  not  over  45  years  of  age  .  .  . 
Taken  at  over  45  years  and  not  over 
60  years  of  age  
Taken  at  over  60  years  of  age  
Disablement  benefits  per  day,  including 
Sundays  and  holidays: 
Accident 

•  30 

•    45 
.60 

•  So 

.60 

.90 
1.  20 

I  .  OO 

.90 

1-35 
I.  80 

1  .  50 

1.20 

1.  80 
2.40 

2.OO 

1.50 

2.25 
3-00 

2.50 

After  52  weeks                  

.25 

•  50 

.75 

I  .OO 

1.25 

Sickness: 
After  first  three  days,  and  not  long- 

.  40 

.80 

1  .  20 

I.  60 

2.OO 

After  52  weeks    

.20 

.40 

.60 

.80 

I.  00 

Death  benefits: 
For  class    

250.00 

500  .  oo 

750.00 

I.OOO.OO 

1,250.00 

Additional  that  may  be  taken         .... 

250.  oo 

500  .  oo 

750.00 

I.OOO.OO 

I,25O.OO 

Figure  27.     Table  of  Industrial  Benefits  and  Insurance  Premiums 

Showing  the  rates  of  monthly  payment  which  admit  to  the  various  classes,  the  rates  of 
contribution,  and  the  benefits. 

The  Relief  Department 

The  relief  department  is  under  the  charge  of  a  superin- 
tendent who  reports  to  the  general  manager.  There  is  also 
an  advisory  committee  of  8  appointed  by  the  board  of  directors 
of  the  companies  associated  in  the  operation  of  the  depart- 
ment; 8  elected  by  ballot  for  the  membership  of  the  fund, 
and  the  general  manager  who  serves  as  a  member  ex-omcio, 
and  as  chairman.  The  general  supervision  of  the  department 
is  in  the  hands  of  this  committee  and  it  has  power  to  propose 
and  adopt  amendments  to  the  regulations,  subject  to  the  ap- 
proval of  the  boards  of  directors. 

The  Bridgeport  Brass  Company 

The  Sick  Benefit  Association  of  the  Bridgeport  Brass 
Company  was  organized  20  years  ago.  The  officers  of  the 
association  at  each  plant  of  the  company — the  governing 
board — are  the  plant  committee,  constituted  of  representatives 
elected  by  employees  and  representatives  designated  by  the 


346  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

management.  When  the  plant  committee  is  too  large,  the 
affairs  of  the  sick  benefit  association  are  handled  by  a  sub- 
committee equally  representing  employees  and  management. 
This  joint  standing  committee  chooses  from  its  members  the 
executive  officers — consisting  of  a  president,  a  vice-president, 
and  all  committees  necessary  for  the  transaction  of  business 
connected  with  the  association  not  otherwise  provided  for. 
The  company  provides  a  secretary-treasurer  who  is  a  member 
of  the  governing  board. 

The  president  of  the  governing  board  at  each  plant  of 
the  company  is  president  of  the  association  for  that  plant. 
He  has  the  power  to  convene  the  governing  board,  or  call 
a  special  meeting  of  the  association  when  in  his  judgment  the 
interests  of  the  association  demand  it.  He  is  required  to  call 
a  special  meeting  upon  request  of  5  members  of  the  governing 
board  or  the  written  request  of  21  members  of  the  association. 

The  Plan  in  Operation 

Meetings  of  the  governing  board  of  each  plant  must  be 
held  monthly  at  a  date  decided  upon  by  the  plant  governing 
board.  This  board  may  remove  any  officer  except  the  secretary- 
treasurer,  and  it  may  appoint  new  members  to  fill  any  vacancies 
occurring  in  the  board.  The  secretary-treasurer  is  subject 
only  to  the  control  of  the  company;  but  if  it  is  decided  by 
a  majority  vote  of  the  governing  board  that  the  secretary- 
treasurer  is  not  working  in  harmony  with  the  board,  it  is  the 
duty  of  the  president  to  bring  this  matter  to  the  attention  of 
the  company  for  adjustment. 

Any  employee  16  years  of  age  and  ever  may  become  a 
member  of  the  association  but  he  will  not  be  accepted  after 
6  months  from  date  of  his  employment  without  passing  a 
satisfactory  medical  examination,  the  expense  to  be  borne  by 
the  insurance  company.  Part-time  workers  are  not  eligible 
for  membership. 


MUTUAL   BENEFI^   ASSOCIATIONS 


347 


Membership  in  the  association  ceases  when  employment 
terminates. 

The  dues  are  25  cents  a  month  and  are  deducted  from 
wages.  As  the  company  assumes  all  obligations  beyond  the 
monthly  dues  of  each  member,  there  are  no  assessments. 

Benefits 

The  benefits  begin  when  an  association  member  is  in- 
capacitated by  sickness  or  accident,  outside  his  usual  occupa- 
tion. Benefit  payments  consist  of  payments  equal  to  one-half 
the  average  weekly  wage.  This  average  weekly  wage  is 
computed  upon  the  first  8  weeks  preceding  the  report  of  ill- 
ness, provided  that  in  no  week  any  amount  smaller  than  $10, 
nor  more  than  $28,  is  to  be  considered  as  a  basis  for  de- 
termining benefits.  Payments  commence  on  the  eighth  day 
of  disability  and  continue  up  to  a  period  of  26  weeks  for 
any  one  disability.  The  following  example  shows  how  the 
amount  of  benefits  is  determined: 


Week  Ending 

Pay-Roil  Record 

Basis  of  Daily 
Insurance 
Benefit 

January    4.  . 

$   2V4S 

$  2T,   4S 

j  i 

T.2    6l 

28  oo 

1          18 

^1    4O 

28  oo 

25  

22.  SO 

22    SO 

February  I 

2S    7^ 

2S    7S 

8 

8  so 

IO   OO 

JC 

S  8s 

IO   OO 

•    I!      :  

500 

IO  OO 

$155.06 

$157.70 

To  find  the  average  for  the  8  weeks: 

8)^157.70 

19.71  Weekly  basis  of  benefits 


348  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

To  find  the  weekly  benefits: 


9.85  Weekly  benefits 
Dividing  by  number  of  days  in  week  gives: 

7)jM5 

1.41   Daily  benefits 

If  a  member  is  injured  in  the  course  of  his  employment, 
his  benefits  are  only  those  provided  by  the  state  compensation 
laws.  If  he  dies  his  beneficiary  will  be  entitled  to  indemnity 
under  the  life  insurance  plan  of  the  company,  which  applies 
to  all  members  of  the  association.  Members  are  not  entitled 
to  benefits  for  sickness  caused  by  childbirth,  or  arising  from 
it,  nor  for  sickness  caused  by  venereal  diseases. 

When  a  member  has  his  residence,  or  is  temporarily  visit- 
ing, out  of  the  bounds  prescribed  for  the  visits  of  the  visiting 
committee,  and  is  sick  or  disabled  and  wishes  his  benefits,  he 
must  immediately  notify  the  association  by  a  certificate  signed 
by  his  attending  physician,  what  is  the  nature  and  duration 
of  his  illness,  the  date  when  his  illness  began,  his  condition 
on  the  date  of  the  certificate,  and  that  by  reason  of  this  illness 
he  is  unable  to  attend  to  any  labor  from  which  he  may  derive 
pecuniary  benefit.  This  certificate  must  be  attested  by  a  notary 
public  or  justice  of  the  peace,  certifying  that  the  physician  is 
a  regular  practitioner  holding  a  diploma  from  a  regular 
medical  college. 

The  Visiting  Committee 

The  visiting  committee,  the  chairman  of  which  is  a  member 
of  the  governing  board  appointed  by  the  president,  consists 
of  from  15  to  25  male  and  female  members  of  the  association 
selected  from  the  various  departments  of  the  plant  by  the 
chairman.  It  is  the  duty  of  the  members  of  this  committee 


MUTUAL    BENEFIT  ASSOCIATIONS  349 

on  receiving  notice  from  the  chairman  of  the  illness  of  a 
member,  to  visit  that  member  as  soon  as  possible  and  report 
his  condition  to  the  chairman.  The  chairman  in  turn  reports 
in  writing  to  the  secretary-treasurer  that  the  visit  was  made 
on  a  certain  date,  giving  the  report  of  the  visitor. 

A  graduate  nurse  or  physician  employed  by  the  company 
receives  daily  notice  of  all  cases  of  sickness  from  the  secretary- 
treasurer;  investigates  each  case  promptly  and  reports  to  the 
secretary-treasurer  upon  the  nature  of  the  illness,  its  probable 
duration,  and  other  matters  which  in  his  or  her  judgment 
would  be  valuable  in  the  history  of  the  case.  The  secretary- 
treasurer  also  reports  cases  of  illness  daily  to  the  chairman 
of  the  visiting  committee  for  his  action.  No  member  is 
entitled  to  benefits  until  his  application  has  been  signed  by 
the  nurse  or  physician,  and  the  chairman  of  the  sick  visiting 
committee.  This  committee  does  not  visit  cases  of  contagious 
disease  until  it  receives  notice  from  the  secretary-treasurer 
that  all  danger  from  contagion  or  infection  is  past. 

The  president  of  the  association  appoints  a  membership 
committee  of  three  members  of  the  governing  board  who  are 
responsible  for  building  up  and  maintaining  a  100  per  cent 
membership  in  the  association. 

The  White  Motor  Company 

The  Employees'  Sick  Benefit  Society  of  the  White  Motor 
Company,  Cleveland,  is  another  successful  organization.  Mem- 
bership is  open  to  any  employee  who  has  been  in  the  service 
of  the  company  one  month,  and  who  pays  the  initiation  fee 
of  $i.  Dues  are  50  cents  per  month.  Benefits  of  $10  a  week 
are  paid  during  the  first  21  weeks  of  illness  (omitting  the 
first  7  days)  and  $7  a  week  for  the  next  20  weeks.  There  is 
a  death  benefit  of  $250.  More  than  half  the  number  of 
employees  are  members  of  the  association.  The  company  con- 
tributes one-fifth  of  the  amounts  paid  in  by  the  members 


350  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

and  provides  the  necessary  administrative  and  clerical  as- 
sistance. 

A  feature  of  the  society  is  the  co-operative  store  conducted 
by  the  employees.  This  store  handles  food,  tobacco,  special 
articles  of  clothing,  tools,  and  laundry  work.  Seventy  per 
cent  of  the  profits  of  the  store  go  to  the  benefit  society; 
the  profits  remaining  are  used  for  recreational  activities  of 
employees.  In  1917  the  store  did  a  business  of  over  $50,000 
and  came  out  with  a  net  profit  of  $5,338.90.  The  administra- 
tive costs  of  conducting  the  business  were  less  than  5  per  cent 
of  the  sales.  The  company  provides  the  rent,  heat,  and  light, 
without  charge. 

An  Excellent  Plan 

An  excellent  plan  for  employees'  insurance  covering 
service  pensions,  compensations  for  accidents,  and  health,  is 
that  established  by  F.  C.  Huyck  and  Sons,  Albany,  New  York, 
who  manufacture  woolens.  The  employees  of  the  company, 
about  400  in  number,  come  generally  from  families  of  railway 
engineers,  firemen,  and  trainmen. 

The  health  insurance  aspect  of  this  plan  provides  for 
contributions  by  employees  of  I  per  cent  of  their  wages,  the 
rest  of  the  amount  necessary  being  contributed  by  the  com- 
pany. The  benefits  consist  of  50  per  cent  of  wages  paid 
after  the  third  day  for  the  period  of  disability  arising  out 
of  illness  or  accident  outside  of  work  in  the  plant.  Provision 
is  made  for  free  medical,  surgical,  and  hospital  treatment,  and 
medicines.  Daily  clinics  free  to  all  members  are  held  at  the 
plant  by  a  regularly  employed  physician.  In  case  of  death, 
30  per  cent  of  wages  is  given  to  the  widow  for  life  or  until 
remarriage;  15  per  cent  for  one  child,  and  20  per  cent  for 
two  or  more  children  until  they  reach  the  age  of  16.  The  sum 
of  $100  is  given  to  defray  funeral  expenses. 

Two  committees  administer  the  plan,  one  committee  for 


MUTUAL   BENEFIT  ASSOCIATIONS  35 I 

men  and  one  for  women,  consisting  of  a  representative  chosen 
by  the  employees  and  another  selected  by  the  company.  The 
third  member  of  each  committee  is  the  secretary  of  the 
concern. 

The  cost  of  the  plan  in  1916  after  5  years'  operation,  was 
$14,282.46,  or  1.6  per  cent  of  the  pay-roll.  Disability  and 
death  benefits  practically  covered  the  i  per  cent  wage-con- 
tribution of  employees.  Speaking  of  the  success  of  the  plan 
Edmund  N.  Huyck  says  in  the  American  Labor  Legislative 
Review,  March,  1917: 

There  is  not  the  slightest  question  in  our  minds  but  that, 
except  that  it  does  not  provide  for  those  who  leave  the 
company's  employ,  the  plan  has  been  in  every  way  successful, 
that  it  has  given  us  steadier,  healthier,  more  contented  em- 
ployees ;  that  it  has  made  us  more  alive  to  the  need  of  health- 
ful, sanitary  working  conditions;  and  that  it  has  been  worth 
to  our  company  far  more  than  it  has  cost  us. 

The  American  Chain  Company 

An  unusual  plan  of  financial  and  other  aid  to  workers  is 
that  recently  adopted  by  the  American  Chain  Company.  The 
plan  operates  through  an  employees'  society  and  aims  to 
provide  old-age  benefits,  assistance  in  case  of  illness,  death, 
total  or  permanent  disability  of  a  member,  and  to  furnish 
medical  care  during  maternity  or  illness  in  the  employee's 
family. 

The  employees'  society  is  governed  by  a  board  of  man- 
agers, consisting  of  a  chairman,  vice-chairman,  secretary- 
treasurer,  and  four  other  members.  All  are  elected  by  mem- 
bers of  the  employees'  society  except  the  secretary-treasurer 
and  two  other  members,  who  are  nominated  by  the  officers 
of  the  company.  Each  elected  member  holds  office  for  a  year 
and  may  be  re-elected.  Membership  in  the  society  is  open 
to  every  employee  in  the  company's  office  or  working  plant. 


352  LABOR  MAINTENANCE 

There  is  an  initiation  fee  of  $i  and  dues  of  50  cents  per 
month.  The  company  meets  deficits  not  covered  by  such  fees 
and  dues. 

In  case  of  sickness  or  temporary  disability,  members  will 
receive  $2  a  day  beginning  with  the  fourth  day,  for  a  period 
depending  upon  the  length  of  service  of  the  employee.  In  the 
event  of  death  $100  will  be  paid  to  the  beneficiary  of  the 
employee  irrespective  of  the  period  of  service  of  the  deceased. 
The  company  also  makes  certain  insurance  compensation  to 
the  wife  and  dependents,  the  amount  being  in  accordance  with 
a  scale  set  for  various  periods  of  service.  For  example,  if  a 
married  man,  who  has  been  employed  one  year  or  less,  dies, 
his  widow  will  receive  $1,000;  each  of  his  children  under  16 
or  at  any  age,  if  entirely  dependent,  will  receive  $2,000;  so 
will  each  dependent  brother  or  sister;  and  $500  will  go  to  a 
dependent  father  or  mother. 

If  a  man  was  employed  for  three  years,  the  insurance  will 
be  $1,300  in  addition  to  the  amounts  for  dependents.  The 
amount  of  insurance  increases  up  to  ten  years  of  service. 

Special  provision  is  made  for  male  employees  who  reach 
the  age  of  65  and  for  women  who  reach  the  age  of  55,  if 
they  have  been  with  the  company  for  20  years  or  more.  These 
employees  enter  what  is  called  a  reserve  force  and  receive 
a  yearly  allowance  of  i  J^  per  cent  of  the  highest  wages  earned 
during  any  consecutive  lo-year  period  for  the  total  number  of 
years  they  have  been  with  the  company. 

Another  feature  of  the  plan  is  the  provision  for  an  annual 
vacation  with  pay  for  all  members  of  the  society.  A  bureau 
assists  employees  in  finding  suitable  vacation  places. 

In  the  case  of  expectant  mothers  the  company  will  provide 
medical  and  nursing  care  for  two  weeks  prior  to  the  birth 
of  the  child  and  as  long  thereafter  as  necessary.  All  the 
necessary  expenses  of  the  doctor  and  nurse  will  be  paid  by  the 
company,  and  in  additon,  a  cash  payment  of  $25  will  be  made 


MUTUAL   BENEFIT  ASSOCIATIONS  353 

to  the  mother  for  use  in  buying  clothes  and  other  necessities 
for  the  child. 

Free  legal  advice  for  the  employees  and  their  families  is 
also  part  of  the  plan. 

The  General  Electric  Company 

Another  plan  well  worth  mentioning  is  that  of  the  General 
Electric  Company,  Pittsfield,  Massachusetts,  where  the  associa- 
tion in  1916  had  3,000  members  and  a  surplus  of  $5,000. 
The  by-laws  of  the  association  limit  the  surplus  to  $300  in 
any  one  section,  and  to  $i,opo  in  the  death  benefit  fund. 
Collections  stop  when  the  funds  reach  this  point.  In  case  of 
sickness,  $6  a  week  is  paid  for  14  weeks  and  upon  death, 
$200  is  paid,  half  of  which  is  given  by  the  company. 

An  Unusual  Type  of  Plan 

A  type  of  association  which  is  unusual  is  that  conducted 
by  the  Flint  Vehicle  Factories  Mutual  Benefit  Association. 
Several  factories  are  members  in  this  association,  which  makes 
its  payments  in  addition  to  workmen's  compensations  provided 
by  law.  The  city  of  Flint  has  a  working  population  of  over 
15,000.  The  plan  requires  no  medical  examination  of  mem- 
bers. Dues  are  deducted  from  wages  by  the  constituent  com- 
panies for  no  more  than  18  weeks  in  a  given  year.  When  this 
limit  is  reached  the  case  goes  to  the  Manufacturers'  Associa- 
tion which  co-operates  with  the  association. 

The  Pennsylvania  Agricultural  Works 

The  male  white  employees  of  the  Pennsylvania  Agricul- 
tural Works  may  join  the  Farquhar  Beneficial  Association 
(organized  in  1889)  by  paying  dues  of  14  cents  per  week. 
Members  are  entitled  to  $4  per  week  for  the  first  26  weeks 
and  half  that  thereafter.  Upon  a  member's  death,  $150  is 


354  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

paid  within  60  days  to  his  widow  or  his  heirs.     A  man  may 
continue  his  membership 'even  if  he  leaves  the  company. 

The  Dodge  Mutual  Relief  Association 

One  of  the  best  conceived  plans  for  a  mutual  relie!  associa- 
tion is  that  of  the  Dodge  Manufacturing  Company,  Misha- 
waka,  Indiana,  prepared  by  W.  L.  Chandler  who  has  given 
the  plans  throughout  the  country  much  study.  The  plan  of 
the  company  is  so  good  that  it  is  reprinted  in  full  in  Appendix 
F  for  the  suggestions  it  offers  readers.  The  Constitution  and 
By-laws  of  the  Benefit  Association  of  Cheney  Brothers,  South 
Manchester,  Connecticut,  as  well  as  the  forms  used,  and  the 

regulations  as  to  reunions  are  given  in  Appendix  F.1 

i 

Co-operative  Associations — Employees 

Akin  to  the  mutual  benefit  associations  are  the  co-operative 
associations,  of  which  there  are  many  varieties.  These  are 
often  the  outgrowth  merely  of  informal  buying  clubs,  formed 
to  enable  members  to  take  advantage  of  quantity  prices.  They 
may  enlarge  their  operations  and  develop  co-operative  savings 
funds,  which  eventually  merge  into  the  mutual  benefit  associa- 
tion already  noticed. 

Aid  from  Employers 

These  co-operative  associations  are  chiefly  the  work  of 
the  employees  themselves,  but  in  some  cases  the  principle  has 

1  Among  other  successful  plans,  the  following  may  be  noted:  Hercules  Powder 
Company,  Wilmington,  Del.;  Farr  and  Bailey  Company,  Camden,  N.  J.;  Cleveland 
Hardware  Company,  Cleveland,  Ohio;  Keuffel  and  Esser  Company,  Hoboken,  N.  J.; 
Fitchburg  and  Leominster  Railway  Company,  Fitchburg,  Mass. ;  Scranton  Railway 
Company,  Scranton,  Pa.;  Clifton  Silk  Mills,  Union,  N.  J. ;  United  Shoe  Machinery 
Company,  Beverly,  Mass.;  Procter  and  Gamble  Company,  Cincinnati,  Ohio;  Celluloid 
Company,  Newark,  N.  J. ;  Eastman  Kodak  Company,  Rochester,  N.  Y. ;  Fierce-Arrow 
Motor  Car  Company,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. ;  Lehigh  Valley  Transit  Company,  Allentown, 
Pa.;  Remington  Typewriter  Company,  Ilion,  N.  Y.;  Simonds  Manufacturing  Company, 
Fitchburg,  Mass.;  Stevens  and  Company,  Incorporated,  Providence,  R.  I.;  Endicott 
and  Johnson  Company,  Endicott,  N.  Y. ;  Bethlehem  Shipbuilding  Company,  Bethlehem, 
Pa. ;  Dodge  Manufacturing  Company,  Mishawaka,  Ind. ;  Solvay-Process  Company, 
Syracuse,  N.  Y. ;  Union  Electric  Light  and  Power  Company,  St.  Louis,  Mo.;  Balti- 
more and  Ohio  Railroad  Company,  Baltimore,  Md. ;  Pittsburgh  Coal  Company, 
Pittsburgh,  Pa.;  Swift  and  Company,  Chicago,  111.;  Cincinnati  Milling  Machine 
Company,  Cincinnati,  Ohio;  United  States  Steel  Corporation. 


MUTUAL    BENEFIT   ASSOCIATIONS  355 

been  utilized  by  employers  who  desire  to  help  their  workers 
to  help  themselves. 

A  co-operative  bank  is  one  of  the  features  of  the  Plimpton 
Press,  Norwood,  Massachusetts.  There  are  over  400  de- 
positors. Collections  are  made  in  each  department  weekly 
as  soon  as  the  paymaster  has  been  around,  thus  making  it  easy 
for  employees  to  lay  aside  sums  from  10  cents  up.  Many  save 
money  for  their  insurance,  rent,  and  other  bills  in  this  way. 
"In  a  good  many  cases,"  says  Mrs.  Williams,  who  is  in  charge 
of  the  work,  "we  have  been  able  to  make  arrangements,  where 
workers  have  fallen  into  the  hands  of  loan  sharks,  by  means 
of  weekly  deposits  in  the  bank  to  pay  off  these  debts  and 
thus  teach  the  worker  something  of  thrift  in  savings  for 
future  debts."  The  bank  here  makes  loans  on  proper  security 
but  does  not  encourage  short-time  loans. 

Savings  Funds 

In  order  to  encourage  the  spirit  of  thrift  among  its  em- 
ployees the  Westinghouse  Electric  and  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany has  established  a  savings  fund,  which  offers  facilities 
to  the  employees  for  the  handling  of  their  savings  accounts. 
This  fund  is  open  to  any  employee  of  the  company  wherever 
he  may  be  located,  and  he  may  become  a  depositor  at  any 
time  and  discontinue  at  any  time.  The  amount  of  the  deposit 
cannot  be  less  than  10  cents  and  may  be  any  multiple  thereof, 
but  the  depositor  is  limited  to*  one  account,  the  amount  of 
which  in  any  one  year  cannot  exceed  $500.  The  plan  is 
intended  to  encourage  the  employee  to  form  the  habit  of 
saving  his  earnings.  When  he  has  developed  the  habit  he 
should  handle  his  own  finances. 

Interest  is  paid  on  deposits  at  the  rate  of  4^$  per  cent 
and  is  credited  semiannually.  The  Westinghouse  Company 
acts  as  a  trustee  and  guarantees  the  deposits  and  interest 
The  rules  provide  that  an  amount  of  $100  or  less  may  be 


35^  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

withdrawn  without  notice,  but  an  interval  of  two  weeks  must 
elapse  before  subsequent  withdrawals  can  be  made;  and  for 
the  withdrawal  of  sums  amounting  to  over  $100,  notice  of 
one  week  must  be  given. 

An  auditing  committee  not  to  exceed  7  persons,  elected 
by  the  depositors  from  among  their  own  number,  is  given 
an  opportunity  to  examine  the  condition  of  accounts  at  the 
semiannual  interest  period.  The  findings  of  this  committee 
are  published. 

Selling  Stock  to  Employees 

There  is  one  striking  instance  of  co-operative  activity 
carried  to  the  point  of  actual  ownership  of  an  industrial  enter- 
prise by  the  workers  themselves.  The  Co-operative  Boot  and 
Shoe  Company  of  Brockton,  Massachusetts,  was  established 
a  few  years  ago  by  a  large  number  of  experienced  shoe- 
workers,  out  of  several  factories,  who  decided  to  pool  their 
savings  and  their  experience  to  build  up  a  new  factory  on 
a  co-operative  basis.  This  company  has  had  a  very  successful 
experience  from  the  beginning.  Similar  examples,  at  least  in 
the  United  States,  are  very  few. 

On  the  other  hand,  ownership  of  stock  in  an  enterprise 
by  employees  is  often  found.  In  many  industrial  concerns 
employees  are  encouraged  to  buy  shares  of  stock.  The  United 
States  Steel  Corporation  has  had  a  remarkably  successful  ex- 
perience with  selling  stock  to  employees.  On  a  smaller  scale, 
the  experience  of  the  San  Diego  Consolidated  Gas  and  Electric 
Company  in  California,  has  been  similarly  successful.2 


2  Among  the  more  prominent  concerns  which  sell  stock  to  employees  are :  Procter 
and  Gamble,  Cincinnati,  Ohio;  American  Sugar  Refining  Company;  Midvale  Steel 
and  Ordnance  Company;  Swift  and  Company;  American  Multigraph  Company;  United 
States  Rubber  Company;  Goodyear  Tire  and  Rubber  Company;  International  Har- 
vester Company;  B.  F.  Goodrich  Company. 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

FINANCIAL  AIDS— GROUP  INSURANCE 

Gradual  Development  of  Insurance  Idea 

Insurance,  the  second  type  of  financial  aid  for  the  worker, 
is  not  a  new  idea  in  industry  or  in  community  action.  For 
centuries  the  notion  of  protection  through  a  common  pool 
of  funds  established  against  hazards  of  various  kinds,  has 
been  familiar  and  generally  accepted  as  sound  business  prac- 
tice. This  impulse  to  make  such  provision  is  what  distinguishes 
the  savage  from  the  civilized  man.  Capital  became  possible 
only  when  men  exerted  themselves  for  needs  beyond  the  imme- 
diate. The  power  to  look  ahead  is  one  of  the  most  precious 
of  all  human  assets,  and  the  encouragement  of  such  provision 
is  a  privilege  as  well  as  an  obligation.  In  the  United  States, 
however,  the  safeguarding  of  the  future  of  the  worker  through 
large-scale  and  co-operative  effort  between  the  management 
and  the  working  force  is  comparatively  new. 

Early  Mutual  Insurance  for  Workers — Defects 

There  has  always  been  some  effort,  among  various  groups 
of  the  working  population,  to  make  provision  for  aid  in  case 
of  death,  and  to  a  slight  degree  to  provide  against  sickness. 
This  has  been  especially  noticeable  among  the  immigrant 
groups  who  have  brought  over  with  them  their  custom  of 
mutual  insurance.  Fraternal  orders  and  lodges  have  for  long 
been  a  familiar  feature  of  early  enterprises  among  the  immi- 
grants. Many  enterprises  of  this  sort,  however,  have  gone 
on  the  rocks  because  of  financial  incompetence.  Industry  has 
felt  the  reaction  of  such  failures  through  the  demoralization 
which  such  a  catastrophe  always  causes  among  its  victims. 

357 


358  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

Range  of  Mutual  Insurance  in  Industry 

The  movement  for  mutual  protection  grew  so  rapidly  that 
many  new  demands  and  elements  had  to  be  considered.  The 
field  of  mutual  insurance  came  to  cover  in  modern  industry 
exigencies  such  as  the  following: 

1.  When  there  is  temporary  impairment  of  the  capacity 

for  work,  and,  with  this,  of  the  earning  power, 
whether  this  comes  about  through  causes  relating 
to  the  individual  (subjective  causes)  or  through 
material  conditions,  namely: 

(a)  Through  sickness  (sickness  insurance). 

(b)  Through  accident  (accident  insurance). 

(c)  Through  child-bearing  and  what  follows  it 

(maternity  insurance). 

(d)  Through  poor  conditions  of  the  labor  market 

(  unemployment  insurance  ) . 

2.  When  there  is  permanent  impairment  of  this  working 

and  earning  power,  which  may  have  its  causes: 

(a)  In  the  after-effects  of  sickness  or  accidents 

(invalidity  insurance). 

(b)  In  advanced  age  (old-age  insurance).    This 

permanent  incapacity  for  earning  may  be 
either  partial  or  total. 

3.  When  there  is  complete  destruction  of  the  personality 

— that  is,  when  death  comes,  in  so  far  as  there  is 
by  reason  of  death  a  financial  loss  suffered: 

(a)  As  a  result  of  the  expenditures  for  the  burial 

(burial-money  insurance). 

(b)  For  the  surviving  (widow's  insurance). 

(c)  For   the    surviving   children    (insurance   of 

orphans).1 


1  See    "Social   Insurance,"   by   Isaac   M.    Rubinow. 


FINANCIAL  AIDS — GROUP   INSURANCE  359 

Legislative  Control 

Obviously,  a  movement  so  vital  to  the  well-being  of  a 
vast  number  of  workers  could  not  long  be  left  in  the  hands 
of  untrained  or  unfit  persons,  the  consequences  of  whose 
maladministration  had  such  wide-reaching  effects.  Legisla- 
tion stepped  in  to  provide  a  certain  measure  of  safeguard. 
This  helped,  although  it  did  not  go  far  enough.  Nobody 
questions,  however,  the  value  of  these  provisions  or  the  benefit 
to  industry  itself  in  having  these  stabilizing  and  comforting 
measures  carried  out. 


How  Employers  Can  Help  Mutual  Insurance 

The  attitude  of  managers  has  always  been  friendly  to 
enterprises  of  mutual  aid  and  protection.  In  recent  years, 
moreover,  there  has  been  a  commendable  advance  from  friendly 
passive  interest  to  active  co-operation.  It  has  been  found 
desirable  not  only  to  encourage  mutual  benefit  activities,  but 
also  to  give  them  the  needed  assistance  of  expert  help,  and 
even  money,  to  make  them  strong  and  effective. 

Lack  of  accounting  knowledge,  to  say  nothing  of  actuarial 
skill,  drove  many  benefit  societies,  even  though  honestly  con- 
ducted, to  the  wall.  It  could  not  be  expected  of  workmen 
not  used  to  financial  matters  that  they  should  foresee  the 
consequences  of  bad  financial  methods.  This  financial  skill 
was  something  which  a  big  business  enterprise  could  supply 
or  secure.  The  advice  of  the  employer  has  saved  many  a 
workman  from  the  total  loss  of  his  contributions.  The  em- 
ployer's bookkeeper,  or  treasurer,  was  able  to  correct  glaring 
bad  practice,  and  thus  salvage  something  in  time  for  those 
who  were  giving  up  a  part  of  their  weekly  earnings  to  safe- 
guard their  future. 

Savings  banks  and  regular  insurance  companies  have  done 
much  good  educational  work.  But  in  addition  to  all  the 


360  LABOR  MAINTENANCE 

millions  of  people  they  reach,  there  was  and  is  yet  much  room 
for  insurance  enterprise,  particularly  on  the  part  of  industry. 

Why  Industry  Has  Taken  Up  Insurance 

The  truth  is  that  the  employer  has  come  to  concern  himself 
with  the  protective  activities  of  his  employees  in  sheer  self- 
defense;  and  it  may  be  said  that  such  interest  on  his  part 
has  been  generally  welcomed  and  appreciated.  We  have  now 
reached  the  stage  of  large  co-operation  between  industrial 
organizations  and  their  employees  in  the  work  of  maintaining 
various  kinds  of  insurance  activities.  We  may  safely  say 
that  such  co-operation  is  still  in  its  initial  stages;  but  there 
will  be  rapid  and  interesting  developments  in  the  near  future, 
because  nothing  conduces  so  much  to  personal  contentment  and 
attention  to  one's  work  as  the  feeling  that  provision  has  been 
made  against  the  uncertainties  of  life. 

The  opportunity  to  encourage  as  well  as  to  strengthen 
self-help  projects  on  the  part  of  large  numbers  of  men  is 
singularly  abundant  in  modern  industrial  establishments.  To 
the  credit  of  their  managers  it  must  be  said  a  fair  number 
have  not  let  the  opportunity  slip.  To  help  a  man  save  against 
the  future,  and  to  do  so  in  some  co-operative  plan  with  his 
fellows,  is  about  as  genuine  a  service  as  one  man  can  render 
to  another. 

Self-Help  Among  Workers — Benefit  to  Employees 

We  stress  the  point  of  self-help.  Insurance  and  other 
benefit  projects  must  be  conceived  in  the  spirit  of  personal 
initiative  by  those  who  are  to  be  the  beneficiaries.  There  is 
no  charity  here.  Co-operative  help  is  among  other  things  a 
kind  of  insurance  against  needing  charity.  So  a  large  part 
of  the  responsibility  for  its  conduct  must  fall  on  its  member- 
ship. It  is  their  enterprise.  Others,  such  as  the  employer, 
or  the  industry,  if  it  is  involved,  may  supply  needed  expert 


FINANCIAL  AIDS — GROUP   INSURANCE  361 

assistance  and  safeguards,  also  contributions  toward  the  com- 
mon fund;  but  in  essence,  the  major  burden  of  maintaining 
mutual  benefit  projects  should  always  be  shouldered  by  the 
membership  as  a  whole.  Otherwise  the  great  educational 
values  in  these  projects  will  be  lost. 

It  is  true  that  the  public,  the  industries,  and  various 
agencies  of  public  or  private  nature  may  be  required  more 
and  more  to  undertake  at  least  in  part  the  task  of  insurance 
of  one  kind  or  another.  That  will  not,  however,  lessen  the 
need  for  mutual  insurance  undertaking  within  an  industrial 
organization.  On  the  contrary, there  may  be  a  new  stimulus 
for  such  work. 

Whichever  part  supplies  most  of  the  funds  and  whatever 
the  proportion  of  respective  contribution  may  be,  the  fact 
remains  that  large  employing  organizations  have  a  very  direct 
interest  in  the  nature  of  the  insurance  that  is  carried;  and 
it  is  also  true  that  those  associated  in  such  organizations  have 
enough  in  common  to  make  a  mutual  benefit  society  inevitable 
within  the  organization. 

Group  Insurance 

Thus  far,  we  have  already  considered  two  sorts  of  in- 
surance: the  mutual  aid  insurance  among  workers,  controlled 
and  participated  in  only  by  the  workers,  and  industrial  in- 
surance, in  which  industry  took  an  active  hand.  We  shall 
now  consider  group  insurance,  which  goes  a  great  deal  farther 
than  either  of  the  others,  by  a  mutual  organization  of  em- 
ployer and  employees.  Briefly  stated,  group  insurance  is  life 
insurance  maintained  by  the  employer  for  the  employee.  The 
employer  assumes  the  small  cost  of  this  insurance,  usually 
running  from  i  to  1^/2  per  cent  of  what  he  pays  out  in  the 
form  of  wages.  This  form  of  insurance  has  developed  within 
the  last  decade  and  is  now  found  in  a  large  number  of  estab- 
lishments in  this  country.  The  idea  is  so  appealing,  its  under- 


362  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

lying  principle  so  sound,  and  its  cost  so  low,  that  we  may 
expect  to  see  it  expand  greatly  in  the  immediate  future.  The 
progress  of  the  movement  has  been  greatly  helped  by  the  atti- 
tude of  the  regular  insurance  companies  of  the  country.  It  is 
estimated  that  at  least  40  per  cent  of  the  persons  now  in- 
cluded in  the  group  insurance  policy,  perhaps  a  greater  per 
cent,  would  never  buy  life  insurance  of  their  own  accord. 
Thus  the  field  of  activity  of  the  insurance  companies  is  cor- 
respondingly widened. 

The  Principles  of  Group  Insurance 

The  underlying  principle  of  this  form  of  insurance  is  that 
the  employer  by  a  slight  added  cost  to  his  pay-roll  may  act 
for  all  his  employees  and  give  them  security  for  their  future. 
None  of  their  time  or  energy  is  consumed  in  sharing  in  the 
management  of  a  benefit  fund.  They  become  more  efficient  in 
their  daily  work,  more  permanent  in  their  employment,  and 
more  loyal  to  the  firm.  It  is,  therefore,  good  business  for 
the  employer  to  assume  a  responsibility  that  looks  toward 
the  time  when  employment  ceases. 

Advantages  and  Disadvantages 

The  advantages  of  this  form  of  insurance  are  many  and 
only  the  more  evident  need  be  enumerated. 

The  plan  accepts  a  group  of  employees  without  excluding 
any  on  account  of  individual  non-insurability.  It  means 
greater  efficiency  in  production  because  it  leads  to  a  more 
careful  selection,  through  a  medical  examination  when  neces- 
sary, of  the  employees  of  an  establishment.  It  is  the  cheapest 
form  of  insurance,  as  a  single  blanket  policy  covers  an  entire 
group  of  carefully  selected  people  and  for  a  limited  time 
only.  On  the  other  hand,  it  frequently  gives  the  benefit  of 
insurance  to  persons  who  would  not  pass  the  usual  life  in- 


FINANCIAL  AIDS — GROUP   INSURANCE  3^3 

surance  medical  examination.  It  creates  a  friendly  relation 
between  employer  and  employee.  It  frees  society  from  some 
part  of  the  cost  of  charity  relief.  It  looks  beyond  the  employee 
to  the  welfare  of  his  dependent  family.  It  throws  the  burden 
of  insurance,  in  some  measure,  on  industry  itself. 

The  disadvantages  of  the  group  insurance  are  not,  perhaps, 
so  obvious.  First,  it  may  deprive  the  workman  of  the  incen- 
tive of  acting  for  himself  by  insuring  his  own  life,  contributing 
to  a  benefit  fund,  or  establishing  a  bank  account.  It  is  opera- 
tive only  for  groups  of  100  or  more.  It  fails  to  meet  the 
contingencies  of  sickness  and  accident.  It  compromises  the 
independence  of  the  worker  by  the  loss  of  insurance  in  leaving 
his  position.  It  may,  it  is  claimed,  impair  the  power  of  col- 
lective bargaining.  It  entails  the  danger  of  causing  the  work- 
man to  feel  that  the  premium  comes  out  of  his  own  wages. 

But  the  advantages  seem  to  outweigh  the  disadvantages. 
The  great  underlying  result  to  be  desired  is  the  security  of 
industry  and  of  the  industrial  worker.  For  generations  it 
has  been  recognized  that  financial  insurance  is  the  best  form 
of  security;  the  new  plan  makes  such  insurance  available  to 
greatly  increased  numbers  of  people. 

How  the  Plan  Has  Operated 

On  every  hand  we  find  evidence  of  more  than  satisfactory 
results  in  the  working  out  of  the  group  insurance  plan.  The 
advantages  of  the  plan,  as  presented  above,  have  been  observed 
in  scores  of  industrial  organizations  that  have  adopted  the 
system.  From  the  standpoint  of  the  employer  it  has  reduced 
labor  turnover. 

The  Cincinnati  Planer  Company,  for  example,  reduced  its 
labor  turnover  from  422  per  cent  in  1916,  to  131  per  cent  in 
1918,  by  the  adoption  of  group  insurance. 

The  Victor  Talking  Machine  Company  tried  group  in- 
surance for  a  limited  number  of  its  employees  in  1913,  with 


364  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

such  success  that  the  company  now  carries  over  $5,000,000  of 
insurance  for  more  than  7,000  employees. 

The  Packard  Cleveland  Motor  Company  has  recently 
adopted  group  insurance.  In  regard  to  this  the  general  man- 
ager of  the  company  wrote  the  author  as  follows: 

The  writer  had  a  splendid  opportunity  to  observe  the 
value  of  group  insurance  while  with  the  Burroughs  Adding 
Machine  Company,  and  we  feel  confident  the  results  in 
stabilizing  labor,  attracting  and  retaining  employees  of  the 
better  grade  all  the  way  through  the  organization,  etc.,  will 
repay  us  for  the  outlay,  which,  by  the  way,  is  surprisingly 
low. 

Deere  and  Company,  the  great  plow  manufacturers,  have 
experimented  with  group  insurance  for  several  years  and  have 
taken  out  insurance  covering  all  the  employees  in  their  29 
factories. 

The  Crane  Company,  another  great  manufacturing  con- 
cern, covers  its  8,500  employees  with  an  insurance  contract  of 
$7,000,000. 

Life  insurance  has  been  taken  out  by  the  E.  I.  Du  Pont 
de  Nemours  and  Company,  Wilmington,  Delaware,  for  about 
25,000  employees,  including  those  of  some  of  its  close  sub- 
sidiaries. While  all  the  associated  companies  are  not  covered 
by  this  policy,  it  is  expected  that  provision  will  soon  be  made 
for  these  others  also.  All  charges  are  paid  by  the  company. 
The  individual  minimum  insurance  is  $1,500,  which  is  payable 
to  the  employee's  beneficiaries.  The  insuring  of  the  workers 
takes  the  place  of  the  former  plan  of  the  company,  under 
which  they  gave  to  all  the  employees  a  sum  equal  to  their 
total  savings. 

Officials  of  the  New  York  Shipbuilding  Corporation, 
Camden,  New  Jersey,  say  that  their  new  plan  of  group  in- 
surance has  had  a  remarkable  effect  in  stabilizing  labor.  Under 
their  plan,  insurance  of  $500  is  given  each  worker  for  one 


FINANCIAL  AIDS — GROUP   INSURANCE 

year  of  service,  and  $100  for  each  year  thereafter  for  17 
years,  making  a  total  insurance  of  $2,200.  The  policy  becomes 
void  upon  termination  of  employment.  Up  to  the  time  this 
was  written  26  claims  aggregating  $33,900  had  been  paid. 

One  of  the  latest  of  our  great  industrial  concerns  to  adopt 
group  insurance  is  the  American  Woolen  Company,  whose 
announcement  is  of  interest  here. 

ANNOUNCEMENT 

The  American  Woolen  Company  announces  that  on  June  16,  1919, 
it  will  inaugurate  a  system  of  group  life  insurance  under  which 
every  employee  of  the  American  Woolen  Company,  including  both 
the  selling  and  manufacturing  departments,  and  by  that  we  mean 
everyone,  including  men,  women,  girls,  boys,  and  including  the  offi- 
cials, will  receive  absolutely  free  of  cost  to  them,  the  company 
bearing  the  entire  expense,  a  policy  covering  their  lives,  of  from 
$750  to  $1,500,  depending  upon  the  length  of  service  of  the  particular 
employee.  The  schedule  of  amounts  is  given  below: 

Those  employed  for  a  period  of  less  than  one  year $  750 

Those  employed  for  a  period  of  one  year  and  less  than 

one  year  and  a  half 850 

Those  employed  for  a  period  of  one  year  and  a  half  and 

less  than  two  years 950 

Those  employed  for  a  period  of  two  years  and  less  than 

two  years  and  a  half 1,050 

Those  employed  for  a  period  of  two  years  and  a  half  and 

less  than  three  years 1,150 

Those  employed  for  a  period  of  three  years  and  less  than 

three  years  and  a  half 1,250 

Those  employed  for  a  period  of  three  years  and  a  half 

and  less  than  four  years J,35o 

Those  employed  for  a  period  of  four  years  and  less  than 

four  years  and  a  half 1,450 

Those  employed  for  a  period  of  four  years  and  a  half 

and  more 1,500 

Not  only  is  the  original  premium  paid  by  the  American  Woolen 
Company,  but  the  entire  expense  thereafter  is  borne  by  it.  Under 


366  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

no  circumstances  does  any  employee  pay  even  one  penny  of  the  cost 
of  maintaining  the  policy  on  his  or  her  life. 

Any  employee  who  happens  to  be  absent  on  June  16,  1916,  will 
be  included  in  the  plan  outlined  above  upon  his  or  her  return  to 
work,  provided  he  or  she  is  or  has  been  prior  to  June  16,  1916,  on 
the  pay-roll  of  the  mill  in  which  he  or  she  is  employed.  Persons 
entering  our  employ  after  June  16,  1916,  will  not  be  entitled  to  the 
above  privileges  until  he  or  she  has  been  for  six  months  continuously 
on  the  pay-roll  of  the  mill  in  which  he  or  she  is  employed.  There 
is  to  be  absolutely  no  cost  to  any  employee.  No  medical  examination 
is  required.  These  benefits  will  be  given  in  addition  to  any  other 
benefits  provided  by  the  Compensation  Law  of  the  state. 

Certificates  of  insurance  will  be  provided  for  each  employee 
just  as  soon  as  those  certificates  can  be  prepared  by  the  insurance 
company. 

AMERICAN  WOOLEN  COMPANY, 
Wm.  M.  Wood,  President. 

Boston,  Mass.,  June  n,  1919. 

Synopsis  of  a  Group  Insurance  Policy 

The  outline  of  the  group  insurance  policy  issued  by  one 
of  the  large  insurance  companies  of  this  country  may  be  pre- 
sented here  as  an  explanation  and  summary  of  the  idea  in- 
volved in  group  insurance.  In  a  synopsis  issued  by  the  com- 
pany it  is  stated  that: 

To  be  insured  on  this  plan  a  group  must  represent  the 
employees  of  one  person,  firm,  or  corporation  and  number 
not  less  than  one  hundred.  The  policy  is  purchased  by  the 
employer  and  the  employer  is  responsible  for  the  payment 
of  premium. 

A  group  may  consist  of  all  employees  in  active  service 
who  are  more  than  15  years  of  age;  or,  if  so  desired,  may 
comprise  less  than  all,  provided  exclusion  is  in  accordance 
with  some  definite  plan,  such  as  length  of  service,  amount  of 
salary,  etc. 

The  amount  of  insurance  on  each  life  may  be  made 
uniform  or  may  vary  according  to  some  definite  plan.  The 


FINANCIAL  AIDS — GROUP   INSURANCE 

maximum  amount  accepted  on  any  one  life  will  be  $3,000 
and  the  minimum  $250. 

New  employees  between  the  ages  of  15  and  65  may  be 
subsequently  added  to  the  group,  and  the  amount  carried  on 
any  employee  in  good  health  may  be  increased. 

The  group  policy  will  be  issued  without  medical  ex- 
amination of  the  individual  employees  (unless  required  by 
law)  but  evidence  of  insurability  will  be  required  of  new 
employees  before  they  are  added  to  the  group. 

The  policy  will  be  issued  as  a  one-year  term  policy, 
renewable  at  the  end  of  each  year  for  the  ensuing  year  by 
the  payment  of  the  premium  for  that  year. 

Premium  rates  will  depend  on  the  ages  and  occupations 
of  the  individual  employees.  They  can  be  quoted  when 
accurate  information  in  this  respect  is  furnished  to  the  com- 
pany. The  total  premium  payable  by  the  employer  is  the 
sum  of  the  premium  for  the  insurance  on  the  individual 
employees.  It  will  be  noted  that  on  this  plan  the  individual 
premiums,  being  based  on  attained  ages,  increase  from  year 
to  year.  Under  normal  conditions,  however,  the  total 
premium  is  not  likely  to  vary  greatly,  because  the  changes 
constantly  occurring  in  the  composition  of  the  group  tend 
to  keep  the  average  age,  and  consequently  the  average 
premium,  about  the  same. 

Premiums  during  the  first  five-year  period  will  be  com- 
puted upon  the  basis  of  a  table  of  rates  written  in  the  policy. 
But  the  company  reserves  the  right,  at  the  end  of  each  five- 
year  period,  to  change  the  rates  upon  the  basis  of  which 
subsequent  renewals  may  be  effected. 

Annual  dividends,  as  ascertained  and  apportioned  by  the 
company  at  the  end  of  each  policy  year,  are  payable  under  a 
group  policy,  thus  reducing  the  net  cost  of  the  policy. 

A  prominent  feature  of  the  group  policy  is  a  provision 
that  if  any  male  employee  less  than  fully  60  years  of  age 
shall  become  totally  and  permanently  disabled,  no  premiums 
shall  be  payable  thereafter  on  account  of  his  insurance,  and 
payment  of  such  insurance  shall  be  made  in  instalments 
over  a  period  of  five  years,  such  payments  to  begin  six 
months  after  the  disability  occurs. 

Immediately  on  receipt  of  due  proof  of  the  death  of  any 


368  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

employee  insured  under  the  group  policy,  the  insurance  on 
such  life  will  be  paid  in  one  sum,  or  in  twenty-four  monthly 
instalments  over  a  period  of  two  years,  or  in  fifty-two  weekly 
instalments  during  one  year.  Should  payment  be  made  in 
instalments,  each  instalment  will  be  increased  by  such 
dividend  as  may  be  apportioned  by  the  company.  Payment 
will  be  made  to  the  beneficiary  named  by  the  employee. 

Certificates  will  be  issued  to  the  individual  employees, 
showing  the  amount  of  insurance  on  each  life  and  the  name 
of  the  beneficiary  to  whom  the  insurance  would  be  paid  in 
event  of  the  death  of  the  employee.  The  benficiary  named 
on  the  certificate  may  be  changed  as  desired  by  the  employee. 
The  insurance  carried  on  any  employee  will  terminate 
with  the  termination  of  employment,  except  that  if  the  em- 
ployment is  terminated  on  account  of  total  disability,  the 
employer  may  continue  the  insurance  during  such  disability 
,  by  the  payment  of  the  premium.  A  refund  of  any  unearned 
portion  of  a  premium  on  account  of  the  termination  of 
employment  will  be  made  in  event  of  such  termination.  In 
event  of  termination  of  employment  where  an  employee  has 
been  insured  for  at  least  one  year,  he  may  convert  his 
insurance  into  a  policy  on  any  of  the  company's  regular 
plans  without  medical  re-examination  and  at  the  then  cur- 
rent rates  of  the  company  for  such  a  policy,  and  the  in- 
surance on  his  life  may  thus  continue  in  force. 


CHAPTER  XXV 

FINANCIAL  AIDS— PROFIT-SHARING,  ETC 

Service  Annuities,  Pensions,  and  Service  Bonuses 

Before  we  discuss  profit-sharing  proper,  the  last  con- 
sideration in  financial  aid,  we  shall  consider  several  other 
things  which  are  not  profit-sharing  but  which  are  akin  to  it: 
service  annuities,  pensions,  and  service  bonuses. 

Among  methods  of  stabilizing  the  working  forces  in  in- 
dustry, plans  for  pensions  and  service  annuities  are  a  com- 
paratively recent  development.  Employers  are  beginning  to 
see  that  the  loyal  service  of  those  who  practically  spend  their 
lives  with  a  concern  and,  in  old  age,  have  little  or  nothing 
to  fall  back  upon  for  support,  ought  to  be  rewarded.  The 
American  Smelting  and  Refining  Company  and  its  subsidiaries, 
for  example,  have  established  a  pension  system  "as  an  evidence 
of  their  appreciation  of  the  fidelity,  efficiency,  and  loyalty  of 
its  employees."  This  is  the  general  motive  in  pension  plans. 

Solvay  Process  Company's  Pension  Fund 

Space  here  does  not  permit  of  extended  discussion  of  the 
subject,  but  we  may  well  point  out  the  important  features  of 
a  few  typical  plans.  The  Solvay  Process  Company  has  had 
a  plan  since  1908  and  its  benefits  are  intended  "for  such  of 
its  men  as  have  been  incapacitated  by  reason  of  old  age,  sick- 
ness, or  accident  after  long  service."  The  size  of  the  pension 
depends  chiefly  upon  the  amount  received  by  the  beneficiary 
during  the  ten  highest  paid  years  of  his  service.  Pension  pay- 
ments are  made  from  a  fund  originally  set  aside  out  of  profits 
and  kept  in  a  separate  account.  This  fund  has  been  increased 

369 


37°  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

from  month  to  month  by  making  payments  to  it  of  a  certain 
number  of  cents  per  ton  of  product.  All  income  from  the 
fund  is  credited  to  it,  while  expenditures  and  pensions  are 
charged  against  it 

The  American  Sugar  Refining  Company 

The  American  Sugar  Refining  Company  has  set  aside 
$300,000  for  its  pension  fund  and  additions  are  made  from 
time  to  time.  Male  employees  over  65  years  of  age  and 
women  of  60  and  over,  are  retired  at  the  option  of  either 
the  company  or  the  employee.  The  amount  of  the  pension 
is  equivalent  to  I  per  cent  of  the  average  annual  wage  or 
salary  during  the  10  years  preceding  retirement,  multiplied 
by  the  years  of  service,  but  no  pension  may  exceed  $5,000 
per  year  to  any  individual,  and  no  pension  after  a  service 
of  25  years  is  to  be  less  than  $20  per  month.  Officers  and 
employees  of  the  company  after  30  years'  service  (25  years 
for  women)  are  permitted  if  they  desire  it,  to  retire  on  this 
pension-basis  whether  they  have  reached  the  age  of  65  or 
not.  Administration  of  the  plan  is  in  the  hands  of  a  pension 
committee. 

Swift  and   Company 

Swift  and  Company  have  created  a  fund  of  $2,000,000 
for  pensions,  administered  by  a  pension  board  consisting  of 
5  members  who  are  officers  or  employees  of  the  company. 
These  members  are  appointed  annually  by  the  directors  to 
serve  I  year.  The  board  elects  from  its  members  a  chairman 
and  a  secretary.  The  member  of  the  company  is  ex  officio 
member  of  the  fund. 

Employees  who  reach  the  age  of  60  (women  50)  and  have 
served  continuously  for  25  years  or  longer  may  be  pensioned 
at  the  discretion  of  the  board;  those  who  have  served  the 
number  of  years  mentioned  above  and  have  reached  the  age 


FINANCIAL  AIDS — PROFIT-SHARING,    ETC.  371 

of  65  (women  50)  are  entitled  to  pensions.  An  employee 
who  has  a  record  of  service  for  15  to  25  years  or  more  and 
is  permanently  incapacitated  for  work  through  no  fault  of 
his  or  her  own  may  be  pensioned  at  the  board's  discretion. 
Employees  who  entered  service  after  August  i,  1916,  and 
who  were  over  40  years  of  age  at  the  time  are  ineligible. 

The  pension  of  employees  regularly  retired  on  account  of 
age  and  length  of  service,  and  of  employees  retired  on  account 
of  permanent  incapacity  for  work  prior  to  reaching  the  age 
of  retirement  (if  they  have  served  25  years  or  longer)  con- 
sists of  one-half  of  the  average  annual  salary  or  wage  for  the 
5  years  preceding  retirement.  The  pension  for  those  who  are 
permanently  incapacitated  and  have  been  in  service  for  15 
years  or  longer  up  to  25  years,  is  i  J^  per  cent  of  the  average 
annual  salary  or  wage  for  the  5  years  preceding  retirement 
for  each  year  of  continuous  service.  In  no  case  is  the  pension 
to  exceed  50  per  cent  of  such  average  salary  or  wage  or  the 
maximum  pension  of  $5,000  per  year.  The  minimum  is  $240 
per  year. 

The  plan  contains  special  provisions  for  widows  and  de- 
pendents of  deceased  employees.  The  widow  (or  if  no  widow, 
then  the  children  under  18  and  unmarried)  of  an  employee 
whose  term  of  service  was  15  years  or  more  up  to  25  years, 
who  was  in  the  service  of  the  company  at  the  time  of  his 
death,  may  receive  a  pension  equal  to  J4  of  I  per  cent  of  the 
average  annual  salary  or  wage  of  the  husband  (or  father) 
for  the  5  years  prior  to  his  death  for  each  year  of  continuous 
service. 

If  the  employee  has  been  in  service  continuously  for  25 
years  or  more,  such  pension  is  to  be  *4  of  the  average  annual 
salary  or  wage  of  the  husband  (or  father)  for  the  5  years 
prior  to  his  death.  In  no  case  may  the  pension  exceed  25  per 
cent  of  such  average  salary  or  wage,  nor  may  the  maximum 
pension  be  more  than  $2,500  a  year.  On  the  remarriage  of 


372  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

the  widow  her  pension  ceases,  but  one-half  of  the  pension  may 
be  paid  to  her  children  if  they  meet  the  above  requirements. 
As  each  child  reaches  the  age  of  18,  or  marries,  his  or  her 
interest  in  the  pension  ceases. 

If  employees  are  under  21  years  of  age,  the  service  records 
for  computing  pensions  do  not  begin  until  they  reach  that  age. 

The  widow  of  an  employee  who  married  him  after  he 
reached  the  age  of  50,  or  the  widow  of  a  pensioner  who 
married  him  after  he  was  pensioned,  or  their  children,  are 
not  entitled  to  a  pension.  Pensions  may  be  suspended  or  can- 
celed for  misconduct,  or  other  cause  sufficient  in  the  judgment 
of  the  board  to  warrant  such  action.  No  contractual  rights 
are  given  employees  by  this  plan  and  the  company  may  dis- 
charge an  employee  without  liability  other  than  for  salary 
or  wages  due  and  unpaid. 

One  who  has  been  pensioned  because  of  disability,  may 
be  required  to  re-enter  active  service  of  the  company  if,  in 
the  judgment  of  the  board,  the  condition  of  his  or  her  health 
warrants  such  action.  In  the  event  of  failure  to  do  so  on 
proper  notice,  the  pension  may  be  suspended  or  terminated. 

The  Bell  Telephone  Company 

In  1916,  the  Bell  system  of  telephone  companies  set  aside 
$9,000,000  to  carry  out  a  plan  of  benefits  for  its  employees. 
Of  this  fund  $3,000,000  was  devoted  to  the  New  York  Tele- 
phone Company,  the  Bell  Company  of  Pennsylvania,  and  the 
Chesapeake  and  Potomac  Telephone  Company. 

Pensions  are  given  to  employees  who  have  been  in  service 
for  30  years  and  are  between  50  and  55  years  of  age.  Those 
in  service  25  years  and  who  are  between  50  and  60  years  old 
and  those  in  service  20  years  and  who  are  60  years  old,  are 
also  eligible  for  pensions. 

Provisions  are  made  for  accident  payments  and  in  case 
of  death  from  accident  the  plan  provides  for  payment  to 


FINANCIAL  AIDS — PROFIT-SHARING,    ETC.  373 

beneficiaries  of  three  times  one  year's  wages  regardless  of 
liability  or  length  of  service.  Pensioners  may  engage  in  busi- 
ness which  is  not  prejudicial  to  the  company's  interests.  (For 
typical  by-laws,  forms,  etc.,  of  benefit  and  pension  regula- 
tions, see  Appendix  G.)1 

Service  Rewards 

Outside  of  pension  arrangements,  various  plans  have  been 
developed  for  rewarding  promptness  and  steady  attendance  and 
continuous  service  of  employees.  Space  here  will  permit  of 
only  two  examples.  The  International  Silver  Company, 
Meriden,  Connecticut,  gives  employees  a  service  reward  of 
5  per  cent  of  the  total  wages  earned  by  them  each  week  if  they 
fulfil  the  following  conditions. 

1.  Getting  to  work  promptly  at  starting  time. 

2.  Working  the  full  number  of  hours  laid  out  for  the 

job  or  department. 

3.  No  absences  during  the  week. 

If  a  person  is  late  or  absent  during  any  week  the  service 
reward  for  that  week  is  forfeited.  A  slip  is  placed  in  the 
regular  pay-envelope  each  pay-day  showing  when  the  service 
reward  is  due  for  perfect  attendance  during  the  previous  week. 
The  money  for  the  reward  is  paid  on  the  regular  pay-day 
during  the  fourth  week  thereafter;  but  no  reward  is  paid  to 
one  who  leaves  the  company's  employ,  i.e.,  a  person  leaving 
before  the  four  weeks  are  up  is  not  entitled  to  the  reward. 


1  Other  concerns  having  plans  for  pensions  are:  General  Fire  Extinguisher 
Company,  N.  Y. ;  R.  Wallace  and  Sons  Manufacturing  Company,  Wallingford,  Conn.; 
Procter  and  Gamble  Company,  Cincinnati,  Ohio;  Vermont  Marble  Company,  Proctor, 
Vt. ;  B.  F.  Goodrich  Rubber  Company,  Akron,  Ohio;  International  Silver  Company, 
Meriden,  Conn.;  Lehigh  Valley  Transit  Company,  Allentown,  Pa.;  Pittsburgh  Coal 
Company,  Pittsburgh,  Fa.;  Dennison  Manufacturing  Company,  Framingham,  Mass.; 
N.  O.  Nelson  Manufacturing  Company,  St.  Louis,  Mo.;  International  Harvester 
Company,  Chicago,  111.;  John  B.  Stetson  Company,  Philadelphia,  Pa.;  Talbot  Mills, 
North  Billerica,  Mass.;.  Edison  Electric  Illuminating  Company,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.; 
Crane  Company,  Chicago,  111.;  Sherwin-Williams  Company,  Cleveland,  Ohio;  United 
States  Steel  Corporation,  New  York  City,  N.  Y. ;  Cleveland  Foundry  Company, 
Cleveland,  Ohio;  Hercules  Powder  Company,  Wilmington,  Del.;  United  States  Rubber 
Company. 


374  LABOR  MAINTENANCE 

The  company  also  has  an  Annual  Service  Reward  paid 
annually  after  July  i,  1917,  as  follows:  Those  who  continue 
in  employment  for  i  year  or  more  are  paid  25  per  cent  of  the 
total  weekly  service  reward  paid  them  during  the  year. 

2  years  or  more 50  per  cent 

3  "      "      "  75     "       " 

4  "      "      "     100    "       " 

The  record  of  continuous  employment  is  broken  by: 

1.  Discharge. 

2.  Leaving  employment  for  any  reason. 

3.  Permanent  lay-off  due  to  lack  of  work. 

How  the  Plan  Works 

As  an  instance  of  how  the  plan  works,  the  company  gives 
this  example: 

If  John  Robinson  has  a  record  on  December  I  of  any 
year  of  not  being  late  or  absent  for  48  out  of  52  weeks  of 
the  year  just  passed  and  has  averaged  $15  per  week  during 
the  year,  he  will  have  been  paid  a  total  of  75  cents  per  week 
for  48  weeks  or  $36  during  the  year.  If  he  has  been  con- 
tinuously in  the  employ  of  the  company  for  more  than  I 
year  from  July  i,  1917,  he  will  receive  an  additional  reward 
of  25  per  cent  of  the  $36  paid  him  during  the  year,  or  $9. 
If  employed  for  2  years  he  will  receive  50  per  cent  of  $36, 
or  $18,  additional  reward,  and  so  on. 

The  Wage  Bonus 

Another  plan,  called  a  wage  bonus  plan  is  in  its  third  year 
of  operation  at  E.  A.  Mallory  and  Sons,  Incorporated,  hat 
manufacturers  at  Danbury,  Connecticut.  Those  who  have 
been  in  the  company's  employ  (including  heads  of  depart- 
ments) one  or  two  years  receive  5  per  cent  of  their  year's 


FINANCIAL   AIDS — PROFIT-SHARING,    ETC.  375 

pay,  while  those  who  have  been  with  the  company  more  than 
two  years  receive  10  per  cent. 

The  Nature  and  Growth  of  Profit-sharing 

Profit-sharing  proper  means  the  apportioning  to  the 
worker,  in  addition  to  a  fixed  wage  or  salary,  some  definite 
part  of  the  excess  profits  of  a  concern,  above  a  fair  return  to 
capital.  In  a  large  sense  the  workman  has  always  been  em- 
ployed under  a  profit-and-loss  system.  When  an  industry 
has  been  prosperous,  it  has  usually  provided  full-time  employ- 
ment and  good  wages;  when  it  has  failed  to  be  prosperous 
it  has  afforded  but  part-time  employment  and  low  wages. 
Thus  the  condition  of  the  worker  has  depended  constantly 
upon  the  condition  of  industry. 

It  has  come  to  be  recognized  more  and  more  in  recent 
years  that  there  are  three  parties  to  industry.  These  are: 

1.  The  stock-holding  group,  which  furnishes  the  plant 

and  the  capital  necessary  for  its  operation. 

2.  The  administrative  and  selling  group,  which  comprises 

all  officers,  accountants,  salesmen,  and  others  in 
various  branches  of  managerial  and  business  ac- 
tivities. 

3.  The  manufacturing  group,  which  includes  all  the  fac- 

tory workers  in  an  industry. 

The  modern  demands  for  co-operation,  fair  play,  and  a 
just  division  of  the  rewards  of  labor,  call  more  and  more 
emphatically  for  an  equitable  division  of  the  profits  of  indus- 
try among  these  three  groups. 

History  of  Profit-Sharing 

Profit-sharing  in  this  country  began  about  twenty  years 
ago  when  the  N.  O.  Nelson  Company  of  St.  Louis,  the  Procter 
and  Gamble  Company  of  Cincinnati,  and  the  Bourne  Mills 


376  LABOR  MAINTENANCE 

of  Fall  River,  Massachusetts,  showed  that  it  could  be  success- 
fully carried  out.  But  with  a  few  notable  exceptions  profit- 
sharing  has  not  been  successful  in  the  United  States  until 
recently.  In  England  greater  success  has  been  achieved. 
Americans  made  many  attempts  to  emulate  the  English 
example  in  the  period  after  1870;  but  they  made  the  mistake 
of  supposing  that  profit-sharing  would  solve  existing  labor 
difficulties. 

In  1899,  N.  P.  Gilman,  in  his  work  on  profit-sharing, 
named  32  American  firms  as  having  at  that  time  undertaken 
to  establish  some  form  of  profit-sharing.  In  1892,  the  Associa- 
tion for  the  Promotion  of  Profit-Sharing  was  formed.  But 
no  great  advancement  was  made  until  recent  years,  in  which 
a  marked  revival  of  interest  in  the  subject  has  arisen.  Public, 
scientific,  and  trade  periodicals  have  lately  published  many 
discussions  on  the  subject.  Employers  are  giving  the  matter 
close  study.  Public  and  private  agencies  as  well  as  individuals 
have  conducted  investigations  into  its  practice  and  possibilities. 

As  a  form  of  gain  for  the  worker,  profit-sharing,  in  the 
opinion  of  some,  may  take  the  place  of  other  forms  of  provi- 
sion for  the  present  and  future  benefit  of  the  worker;  but 
it  involves  elements  of  difficulty,  especially  in  considering  the 
responsibility  of  the  profit-sharer  in  management.  This  will 
be  touched  on  later  in  a  discussion  of  the  plans  now  in 
operation. 

It  would  not  be  easy  to  state  the  chief  causes  that  made 
the  progress  of  the  movement  for  profit-sharing  in  this  coun- 
try exceedingly  slow  for  30  or  40  years.  Among  the  causes 
might  be  mentioned  the  conservatism  of  large  industrial  con- 
cerns in  methods  of  paying  the  worker,  and  their  unwillingness 
to  adopt  what  might  seem  to  be  a  problematic  rate  of  pay- 
ment, to  admit  the  worker  to  some  degree  of  ownership  or 
management  in  manufacture,  or  to  reduce  systematically  the 
profits  of  invested  capital.  Probably  many  trials  of  attempted 


FINANCIAL  AIDS — PROFIT-SHARING,    ETC.  377 

profit-sharing  have  failed  because  too  much  was  expected  of 
the  new  system  and  insufficient  investigation  and  preparation 
had  been  made  before  adopting  it.  Its  limitations  should  be 
entirely  understood,  and  it  should  not  be  made  a  recompense 
for  a  low  wage.  Neither  should  there  be  any  fear  that  it 
will  lead  to  the  control  of  an  industrial  establishment  by  the 
body  of  employees. 

Opinion  Growing  in  Favor  of  Profit- Sharing 

As  a  result  of  more  careful  study  of  the  subject  in  recent 
years  and  a  wider  dissemination  of  information  in  regard  to 
it,  profit-sharing  is  now  attracting  the  attention  of  the  best 
minds  in  American  industry.  It  appears  clearly  to  be  a  sound 
method  of  promoting  co-operation  between  employer  and  em- 
ployee and  of  increasing  permanently  the  interest  of  the 
worker  in  his  job.  Clearly,  it  will  promote  labor  stability, 
reducing  the  turnover  that  affects  industry  not  merely  year 
by  year,  but  day  by  day.  It  will  bring  out  the  best  that  is 
in  the  workman,  not  only  to  do  his  daily  task  well,  but  to 
share  in  some  degree  in  the  thinking  and  planning  that  must 
be  behind  every  industrial  enterprise.  The  workman  becomes 
not  a  capitalist,  but  a  co-operator  in  industrial  enterprise. 

A  Succinct  Statement  of  the  Case 

Henry  S.  Dennison,  President  of  the  Dennison  Manufac- 
turing Company,  Framingham,  Massachusetts,  states  the 
matter  succinctly  in  Factory  for  March,  1918: 

Studies  in  the  field  of  industrial  relations  can  well  be 
confined  to  bettering  the  conformity  of  wage  to  effort  and 
to  worth;  to  increasing  the  opportunities  of  the  employees 
to  express  their  ideas  as  to  all  conditions  of  their  work; 
and  to  the  establishment  of  a  social  relation  worthy  of  the 
name  between  manager  and  worker.  If  profit-sharing  studies 
are  confined  to  the  logics  of  control  and  of  surplus  earnings, 


37**  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

a  great  contribution  toward  social  advance  may  be  made 
before  long. 

Profit-Sharing  Defined 

In  profit-sharing,  pay  is  really  divided  into  two  portions — 
a  major  portion  which  is  fixed  in  advance,  and  a  minor 
portion  which  varies  according  to  the  profits  of  an  entire 
concern  or  a  division  of  it.  The  terms  "general"  or  "unit" 
or  "individual"  profit-sharing  are  used  according  as  the  divi- 
sion is  made  from  the  general  or  total  profits  of  an  industry, 
from  the  earnings  of  a  department,  or  from  the  individual 
worker's  own  efforts.  An  example  of  the  last  kind  is  the 
percentage  of  his  sales  which  a  traveling  salesman  receives 
in  addition  to  his  fixed  salary.  In  industry,  however,  we  shall 
be  most  concerned  with  general  profit-sharing. 

Bonuses  Not  Profit-Sharing 

An  increasingly  large  number  of  employers  are  paying  a 
periodic  bonus,  computed  on  a  certain  percentage  of  wages. 
Clearly  this  is  not  profit-sharing,  since  it  is  based  on  wages 
and  not  on  profits.  Some  firms  pay  a  bonus  at  the  end  of 
each  year,  with  the  understanding  that  it  shall  be  based  in 
part  on  the  earnings  of  the  firm.  Other  firms  pay  a  bonus 
without  previous  announcement.  Such  plans  lack  the  essen- 
tial of  profit-sharing — the  division  of  a  fixed  percentage  of 
the  profits  of  industry,  known  in  advance  and  without  regard 
to  the  daily  earnings  of  the  worker. 

Surplus  profits,  above  a  fair  return  to  capital,  should  be 
apportioned  between  two  groups  of  employees,  the  executive 
or  managerial  group,  and  the  industrial  group  usually  implied 
in  the  term  "workers."  Since  it  is  not  easy  to  determine  a 
"market"  salary  for  the  first  group  it  is  easier  to  include  it 
in  a  profit-sharing  system,  after  establishing  a  nominal  rate 
of  pay.  Thus  we  may  expect  the  system  to  be  applied  most 


FINANCIAL  AIDS — PROFIT-SHARING,    ETC.  379 

readily  and  generally  to  the  executive  group  in  an  industry. 
In  the  case  of  the  worker  in  the  industrial  plants  the  system 
can  be  most  easily  applied  to  small  groups. 

Profit-sharing  in  Successful  Concerns — A.  W.  Burritt  Com- 
pany 

How  a  number  of  large  and  well-known  concerns  conduct 
their  profit-sharing  systems  is  of  interest  at  this  point. 

The  following  statement  of  the  A.  W.  Burritt  Company, 
of  Bridgeport,  Connecticut,  to  its  employees,  showing  the 
liberal  attitude  of  the  modern  employer,  and  the  profit-and-loss 
sharing  contract  of  the  company  with  its  employees,  is  well 
worth  close  study. 

To  OUR  EMPLOYEES,  AND  TO  ANYONE   INTERESTED   IN   INDUSTRIAL 

CO-OPERATION 

From  the  commencement  of  our  business,  we  have  endeavored 
to  develop  a  spirit  of  co-operation,  with  the  purpose  of  overcoming 
that  spirit  of  indifference  to  each  other's  interests,  so  common  be- 
tween employers  and  employees. 

It  is  obvious  that  such  indifference  constitutes  a  most  serious 
handicap  to  the  welfare  of  the  employee  as  well  as  to  the  success 
of  the  business  and  that  this  obstruction  to  their  prosperity  will 
be  removed  to  just  the  extent  that  both  employee  and  employer 
recognize  the  interests  of  each  other  and  conscientiously  and  intel- 
ligently co-operate  to  protect  and  further  such  interests. 

The  development  and  perfection  of  such  co-operation,  to  a  point 
that  is  both  just  and  practical,  constitutes  a  problem  in  the  human 
relationship,  worthy  of  the  best  thought  and  effort  on  the  part  of 
both  employer  and  employee. 

Our  thoughts  along  this  line,  covering  a  period  of  many  years, 
have  crystallized  in  what  we  believe  to  be  the  essentials  of  any  plan 
for  the  development  of  industrial  co-operation.  These  are: 

I.  That  those  having  the  active  management  of  a  business, 
should  be  financially  interested  therein,  and  so  nearly  as 
possible  everyone  in  proportion  to  the  relative  importance 
of  his  services  to  the  business. 


3&>  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

2.  That  for  those  employees  whose  duties  are  such  as  render 

it  impracticable  to  measure  or  standardize  their  individual 
effort,  but  which  require,  in  addition  to  faithfulness,  an 
exercise  of  intelligent  judgment,  there  should  be  some 
provision  whereby  they  may  participate,  on  an  equitable 
basis,  in  the  results  of  the  business  operations. 

3.  That  for  those  employees  whose  duties  can  be  measured  with 

a  reasonable  degree  of  accuracy,  there  should  be  a 
standardization  of  their  production,  and  a  graded  bonus 
for  production  in  excess  of  such  standard.  Any  plan  of 
this  nature  should  be  so  devised  as  to  overcome  the  in- 
evitable tendency  towards  individual  and  group  selfishness 
which,  if  existent,  is  certain  to  destroy  co-operation. 

Subject  to  such  modification  as  adaptation  to  the  nature  of  dif- 
ferent businesses  may  render  necessary  in  the  method  of  application, 
we  believe  these  three  essentials  constitute  a  practicable  and  equitable 
means  of  harmonizing  the  relations  between  employers  and  employees. 

PROFIT-AND-LOSS  SHARING  CONTRACT 

This  article  of  agreement,  made  and  entered  into  this 

day  of ,  one  thousand,  nine  hundred  and , 

by  and  between  THE  A.  W.  BURRITT  COMPANY,  party  of  the  first 
part,  and  the  signers  hereto,  all  employees  of  said  company,  party 
of  the  second  part,  Witnesseth  as  follows: 

First — It  is  agreed  that  the  party  of  the  first  part  and  the  party 
of  the  second  part  shall  share  the  profits  and  losses  of  the  business 
of  THE  A.  W.  BURRITT  COMPANY  so  long  as  they  are  both  parties 
to  this  agreement. 

Second — The  profit  shall  be  ascertained  as  follows:  The  in- 
ventory of  the  ist  of  February  past  shall  be  taken  as  the  starting 
point,  and  an  inventory  shall  be  taken  in  the  same  form  on  February 
ist  each  year  thereafter.  From  the  gross  results  thus  obtained, 
shall  be  taken  all  expenses  of  every  kind,  including  depreciation 
of  buildings,  tools  and  machinery,  and  bad  debts;  and  the  results 
of  the  above  shall  be  considered  the  net  gain  or  loss,  as  the  case 
may  be.  If  the  result  thus  shown  shall  be  gain,  the  capital  actually 
invested  as  shown  by  the  inventory  at  the  close  of  each  year  shall 
first  draw  six  per  cent  (6%)  interest  (or  in  case  there  is  less  than 
that  amount,  shall  draw  what  net  gain  there  is,  in  liquidation  of  its 


FINANCIAL   AIDS PROFIT-SHARING,    ETC. 

claim)  :  the  balance  then  remaining  shall  be  divided  between  the 
party  of  the  first  part  and  the  party  of  the  second  part  in  such 
proportions  as  the  actual  capital  invested  in  the  business  bears  to 
the  total  wages  of  the  party  of  the  second  part  for  each  current 
year.  The  total  amount  coming  to  the  party  of  the  second  part 
shall  be  divided  among  its  individual  members  as  the  year's  earning 
of  each  bears  to  their  total  earnings. 

Third — For  each  current  year,  one-tenth  of  the  wages  of  each 
of  the  parties  of  the  second  part  shall  be  withheld  by  the  party 
of  the  first  part  weekly,  and  in  case  there  has  not  been  a  net  loss 
on  the  entire  business  of  the  year,  this  reserved  money,  together 
with  his  share  in  any  accrued  profit  as  figured  above,  shall  be  paid 
to  each  of  the  parties  of  the  second  part  on  or  before  March  ist 
of  each  succeeding  year. 

Fourth — In  case  there  should  be  a  net  loss  made  on  the  business 
of  the  year,  without  figuring  any  dividend  for  capital  as  above 
provided,  this  loss  shall  be  divided  between  the  party  of  the  first 
part  and  the  party  of  the  second  part  in  the  same  manner  as  described 
for  dividing  profit;  but  the  party  of  the  second  part  in  no  case  shall 
become"  responsible  for  losses  greater  than  the  amount  reserved  from 
his  wages. 

Fifth — Other  employees  of  THE  A.  W.  BURRITT  COMPANY  may 
become  parties  to  this  agreement  after  this  day,  on  invitation  of 
the  party  of  the  first  part;  but  the  computation  of  their  share  shall 
be  figured  only  on  wages  earned  after  the  date  of  their  signature. 
Any  party  of  the  second  part  may  withdraw,  either  from  this 
contract  or  from  the  company's  employ,  at  any  time,  but  the  party 
of  the  first  part  holds  the  right  to  retain  his  reserve  until  the 
expiration  of  the  current  year  and  if  said  reserve  is  held,  its  owner 
shall  share  in  profits  or  losses  unless  his  reserve  has  been  retained 
until  the  end  of  the  year,  except  as  provided  in  article  seventh. 

Sixth — The  party  of  the  first  part  can  at  any  time  discharge 
any  party  of  the  second  part  from  its  employ  and  require  him  to 
withdraw  from  this  contract,  but,  in  such  case,  said  party  of  the 
second  part  shall  have  the  option  to  withdraw  his  full  reserve  or  to 
leave  it  until  the  end  of  the  "ear  to  share  in  results  as  above 
described. 

Seventh — It  is  further  agreed  by  the  party  of  the  first  part 
that  no  party  of  the  second  part  shall  be  temporarily  retired  from 
work,  so  long  as  the  party  of  the  first  part  has  any  work  of  the 


382  LABOR  MAINTENANCE 

kind  said  party  of  the  second  part  is  accustomed  to  do;  but  if  there 
should  be  a  shortage  of  work  in  the  hands  of  the  party  of  the 
first  part,  it  shall  reduce  the  hours  of  work  and  so  divide  the  work 
between  the  parties  of  the  second  part.  If  at  any  time  any  party 
of  the  second  part  should  become  sick  or  incapacitated  to  perform 
his  duties,  and  has  the  certificates  of  a  reputable  physician  that 
he  is  so  incapacitated,  after  two  weeks'  duration  of  said  sickness, 
said  party  can  draw  on  his  reserve  wages  at  a  rate  not  greater 
than  six  dollars  ($6)  per  week,  without  affecting  his  interests  in 
the  profits  at  the  end  of  the  year.  Further,  if  any  party  of  the 
second  part  should  become  injured  on  account  of  any  accident  while 
in  the  employ  of  the  party  of  the  first  part,  said  party  of  the  first 
part  shall,  at  its  own  expense,  provide  him  with  a  competent 
physician  or  surgeon,  after  application  is  made  to  it  stating  that 
such  services  are  needed. 

Eighth — If  any  of  the  parties  of  the  second  part  wish  to  inquire 
into  the  accuracy  of  the  annual  report  made  to  them  by  the  party 
of  the  first  part,  the  books  of  the  party  of  the  first  part  shall  be 
opened  for  inspection  by  any  reputable  public  accountant  employed 
by  the  party  of  the  second  part,  provided  such  accountant  will  agree 
to  confine  his  report  to  the  statement  that  the  company's  report  was 
or  was  not  correct,  and  if  not  correct,  shall  fully  define  its  error. 

Ninth — It  is  agreed  that  all  differences  and  disputes  resulting 
from  operation  of  this  contract  shall  be  settled  by  arbitration. 


The  Hall-Scott  Company 

The  Hall-Scott  Motor  Car  Company,  of  Berkeley,  Cali- 
fornia, has  just  instituted  a  profit-sharing  plan  whereby  the 
employees  of  the  company  will  share  among  themselves  25  per 
cent  of  the  net  profits  of  the  concern. 

The  net  profits  of  the  company  will  be  determined  at  the 
close  of  each  year  and  25  per  cent  of  the  net  earnings  will 
be  distributed  in  cash  to  the  employees  and  not  be  turned 
into  any  benefit  or  trust  fund,  according  to  B.  C.  Scott,  presi- 
dent of  the  corporation.  The  division  of  the  profits  will  be 
based  upon  the  wages  of  the  men,  some  of  whom  receive 


FINANCIAL  AIDS — PROFIT-SHARING,    ETC.  383 

$5  and  some  $6  and  some  $7  a  day.  New  employees  will 
receive  $4  a  day,  and  at  the  end  of  three  months  if  they  are 
found  to  be  competent  they  will  be  made  permanent  employees 
and  come  under  the  profit-sharing  plan. 

During  the  war  the  plant  of  this  company  was  devoted 
exclusively  to  the  manufacture  of  the  aeroplane  engine  known 
as  the  Liberty  motor. 

Morris  and  Company 

Morris  and  Company,  Chicago  meat  packers,  recently  an- 
nounced the  adoption  of  a  profit-sharing  plan  whereby  em- 
ployees are  enabled  to  purchase  bonds  of  the  company  at 
below  the  market  price  and  at  double  the  usual  rate  of  interest. 
Profit-sharing  certificates  are  to  be  given  to  bond-holding 
employees,  which  permits  them  to  share  in  5  per  cent  of  the 
company's  profits,  to  be  set  aside  for  the  purpose  each  year, 
to  the  extent  of  one-half  their  salary. 

An  English  Plan 

William  Gray  and  Company,  Limited,  West  Hartlepool, 
England,  ship-engine  builders,  have  inaugurated  a  system  of 
profit-sharing  between  employer  and  employees  which  will 
give  every  man  and  woman  employed  there  a  direct  interest 
in  the  company's  undertakings.  The  agreement  is  for  three 
years  with  provision  for  renewal,  and  provides  that  stock- 
holders shall  receive  80,  and  employees  who  have  been  with 
the  company  twelve  months  or  more,  20  per  cent  of  net  profits. 

The  Endicott-Johnson  Company 

The  Endicott-Johnson  Company,  of  Endicott,  New  York, 
the  largest  shoe  manufacturers  in  the  world,  recently  an- 
nounced a  plan  for  the  distribution  of  dividends  among  all 
employees.  It  is  proposed  to  make  annual  distributions,  per- 


LABOR  MAINTENANCE 

mitting  every  employee  a  certain  percentage  of  the  company's 
net  earnings  on  the  basis  of  earnings  during  the  year. 

The  same  company  was  one  of  the  first  large  manufac- 
turing concerns  in  the  United  States  to  establish  the  8-hour 
day  as  a  definite  principle. 

The  only  requisite  in  the  profit-sharing  plan  is  that  the 
men  must  have  been  employed  January  I,  1919,  and  worked 
one  year  to  share  in  the  distribution  on  January  I,  1920.  The 
plan  is  that  after  7  per  cent  has  been  deducted  on  the  preferred 
stock  and  10  per  cent  on  the  common  stock  the  balance  of 
the  profits  is  to  be  divided  equally  between  the  laborers  and 
the  holders  of  the  common  stock. 

Any  employee  is  at  liberty  to  purchase  any  amount  of 
preferred  stock  he  desires  and  it  will  be  sold  to  him  on  applica- 
tion. All  the  officers  of  the  corporation  will  work  this  year 
without  salary,  that  the  amount  may  go  to  swell  the  fund 
to  be  paid  the  workmen. 

As  to  the  sums  to  be  distributed  among  the  workers  under 
the  new  arrangement,  that  is  purely  a  matter  of  speculation. 
The  total  depends  entirely  on  the  year's  profits.  It  was 
generally  recognized,  however,  that  in  a  good  year  several 
million  dollars  will  be  distributed  in  this  way. 

The  Solvay  Process  Company's  Profit- Sharing  Plan 

The  profit-sharing  plan  of  the  Solvay  Process  Company 
is  interesting  as  showing  the  results  of  long  experience  in 
a  concern  known  for  its  progress  in  handling  employment 
problems.  The  plan  covers  the  executive  group  of  workers 
only,  as  will  appear  below,  but  the  company  maintains  an 
elaborate  bonus  system  for  other  employees.  The  Solvay 
profit-sharing  plan  is  outlined  by  the  company  as  follows: 

The  company  since  1888  has  had  a  system  of  participation 
in  profits.    The  participation  is  based  on  the  amount  of  cash 


FINANCIAL  AIDS — PROFIT-SHARING,    ETC.  385 

actually  paid  to  the  stockholders  in  the  form  of  dividends, 
and  the  amount  distributed  to  the  individual  varies  as  his 
salary. 

Participants  are  divided  into  3  classes,  called  for  con- 
venience, first,  junior,  and  senior,  and  the  proportion  of 
profits  depends  upon  the  class  to  which  the  individual  be- 
longs; the  first  receiving  the  smallest  unit,  the  junior  twice 
the  first,  and  the  senior  three  times  the  first. 

Membership  in  the  participation  classes  extends  from  the 
chief  executive  officers  to  subforemen,  and  includes  both  the 
commercial  and  manufacturing  departments. 

The  nature  of  the  work  performed,  length  of  service, 
and  record  as  an  employee  are  the  qualifications  which 
govern  eligibility  for  membership  in  the  participation  classes. 
In  the  senior  class  are  included  only  the  chief  executive 
officers  and  chief  technical  men;  in  the  junior  class,  the 
chief  technical  assistants,  the  foremen  of  important  depart- 
ments, and  the  more  important  office  men;  and  in  the  first 
class,  others  to  junior  clerks  and  subforemen.  The  board  of 
directors  of  the  company  elects  the  members  of  each  partici- 
pation class. 

Each  participant  has  a  formal  contract  with  the  company 
which  fixes  the  basis  of  the  participation  and  the  obliga- 
tions of  both  parties.  Contracts  are  the  same  in  form  for 
all  classes,  except  as  to  the  rate  of  participation. 

Sears,  Roebuck  and  Company 

Another  notable  plan  which  has  unique  features,  is  that 
of  Sears,  Roebuck  and  Company,  who  employ  between  30,000 
and  40,000  men  and  women.  About  50  per  cent  of  these 
workers  are  eligible  to  participation  in  the  plan,  and  to  date, 
about  90  per  cent  of  those  eligible  have  joined  in  the  benefits. 

The  company's  announcement  says: 

In  order  that  employees  may  share  in  the  profits  of  this 
business  and  to  encourage  the  habit  of  saving,  the  firm 
decided  to  contribute  annually  a  sum  equal  to  5  per  cent  of 
its  net  earnings  (without  deduction  of  dividends  to  stock- 
holders) as  shown  by  the  annual  audit  of  its  books,  to  an 


LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

employee's  savings  and  profit-sharing  fund  beginning  July 
I,  1916. 

The  plan  is  intended  to  furnish  to  those  who  remain 
in  the  employ  of  the  company  until  they  reach  the  age 
when  they  retire  from  active  service,  a  sum  sufficient  to 
provide  for  them  thereafter,  and  that  even  those  who  achieve 
a  long  service  record,  but  who  may  not  remain  with  the 
company  all  of  their  business  life,  will  have  accumulated  a 
substantial  sum. 

Every  employee,  regardless  of  position,  is  eligible  after 
three  years  of  service  so  long  as  he  remains  an  employee. 
When  the  employee  decides  to  participate  he  is  required  to 
deposit  in  the  fund  5  per  cent  of  his  salary,  but  "no  employee 
may  deposit  more  than  5  per  cent  of  his  salary,  and  in  no 
case  more  than  $150  per  annum;  this  limit  being  deemed 
advisable  so  that  the  higher  salaried  employees  may  not  too 
largely  participate  in  the  fund." 

The  contributions  of  the  company  are  made  annually  and 
are  credited  pro  rata  to  participating  persons  in  the  propor- 
tion which  the  amount  deposited  by  each  employee  during 
the  preceding  year,  for  which  the  company  has  contributed, 
bears  to  the  total  amount  deposited  by  all  employees  during 
such  year. 

Withdrawals  are  provided  for  as  follows :  Depositors  who 
have  completed  ten  years  of  service  are  entitled  to  withdraw 
all  money  credited  to  their  account,  including  the  contribu- 
tions of  the  company.  Those  who  have  not  completed  this 
term  of  service  may  withdraw  only  the  amount  they  have 
deposited,  plus  interest  at  5  per  cent  per  annum,  compounded 
semiannually,  and  no  more.  Exception  is  made  for  a  woman 
depositor  who,  after  5  years'  service,  leases  to  become  mar- 
ried, in  which  case  she  will  be  entitled  to  her  full  share  in 
the  fund,  including  the  portion  contributed  by  the  company. 
Another  exception  is  made  if  a  depositor  dies  while  in  the 
service  of  the  company;  in  that  event  his  estate  is  entitled 


FINANCIAL  AIDS — PROFIT-SHARING,    ETC.  387 

to  the  full  amount  credited,  including  the  company's  con- 
tributions. 

Depositors  are  required  to  withdraw  upon  leaving  the 
employ  of  the  company,  or  on  failure  to  make  deposits 
regularly.  Once  having  withdrawn,  a  depositor  cannot  re- 
enter  the  fund.  When  a  depositor  who  withdraws  is  entitled 
to  share  in  the  contributions  of  the  company,  he  will  receive 
the  full  amount  to  his  credit  as  shown  by  the  accounting  for 
the  preceding  year,  with  interest  at  the  rate  of  5  per  cent. 

The  fund  is  managed  by  a  board  of  five  trustees,  selected 
by  the  board  of  directors  of  the  company — three  of  whom 
are  officers  or  directors  of  the  company,  and  two  who  are 
not  officers  or  directors.  So  far  as  practicable  and  advisable, 
the  fund  is  invested  in  shares  of  stock  of  the  company  "to 
the  end  that  the  depositors  may,  in  the  largest  measure  possible, 
share  in  the  earnings  of  the  company." 

Discontinuance  of  the  fund  may  take  place  at  any  time 
by  announcement  of  the  company,  made  at  least  six  months 
before  its  final  yearly  contribution.  After  such  announcement 
no  new  depositors  will  be  eligible  to  join  and  the  fund  will 
be  distributed  amcng  the  depositors  pro  rata  in  proportion  to 
their  interests  as  ascertained  by  the  board  of  trustees. 

An  Exposition  of  the  Plan's  Working 

An  interview  with  Julius  Rosenwald,  president  of  the 
company,  published  recently  in  the  New  York  Times,  brings 
out  clearly  how  the  plan  will  work  out.  Mr.  Rosenwald  said : 

A  woman  earning  $20  a  week,  for  example,  for  a  period 
of  15  years,  would  pay  $780  into  the  fund,  and  I  believe 
that  she  will  have  to  her  credit  at  the  expiration  of  that 
time  approximately  $4,200  as  the  result  of  an  investment  of 
$i  a  week.  In  the  same  manner  an  employee  earning  $3,000 
a  year  would  contribute  to  the  fund  $150  a  year  for,  say, 


388  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

30  years,  a  total  of  $4,500,  and  would  draw  out  approximately 
$41,000.  These  are  conservative  estimates  based  on  the 
growth  of  our  business  in  the  last  5  years. 


N.  O.  Nelson  Company 

A  different  form  of  profit-sharing  and  one  which  the 
company  has  continued  since  1886  is  that  of  the  N.  O.  Nelson 
Manufacturing  Company  of  St.  Louis.  The  plan  was  begun 
with  a  notice  placed  in  the  pay-envelopes  saying  that  the  net 
profits  of  the  business,  after  allowing  the  commercial  rate  of 
interest  on  the  capital,  would  be  divided  by  equal  percentage 
between  the  shareholders  and  the  employees  of  all  grades 
who  had  worked  six  months  within  the  year.  Soon  after,  a 
meeting  of  employees  was  arranged  and  they  elected  an  auditor 
to  verify  the  figures  as  to  the  dividend.  That  year,  on  account 
of  a  railroad  strike,  the  dividend  was  only  5  per  cent.  But 
the  next  year  saw  a  dividend  of  10  per  cent  on  wages  and 
the  company  announced  that  thereafter  the  dividend  was  to 
be  paid  in  stock.  After  the  panic  of  1883  dividends  were 
suspended  for  several  years;  but  this  was  made  up  later  by 
the  company  giving  4  per  cent  for  these  years. 

In  1905  the  company  took  its  customers  into  the  scheme 
and  based  the  shares  of  such  customers  upon  the  gross  profits 
of  their  purchases.  Capital  then,  as  now,  received  6  per  cent; 
but  no  other  share  in  the  profits.  The  average  yield  of 
dividends  to  employees  has  been  about  18  per  cent,  and  they 
now  own  about  one-third  of  the  capital.2 


2  Among  the  concerns  which  have  adopted  profit-sharing  are  the  following: 
American  Rolling  Mill  Company,  Middletown,  Ohio;  Baker  Manufacturing  Company, 
Evansville,  Wis. ;  Youngstown  Sheet  and  Tube  Company,  Youngstown,  Ohio;  Spencer 
Wire  Company,  Worcester,  Mass.;  Lever  Brothers,  Ltd.,  Port  Sunlight,  England;  Inter- 
lake  Steamship  Company,  Cleveland,  Ohio;  Farr  Alpaca  Company,  Holyoke,  Mass.; 
Edison  Electric  Illuminating  Company,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. ;  Ballard  and  Ballard 
Company,  Louisville,  Ky. ;  Wayne  Knitting  Mills,  Fort  Wayne,  Ind.;  Studebaker 
Corporation,  South  Bend,  Ind.;  Jacob  Dold  Packing  Company,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. ; 
National  Carbon  Company,  Cleveland,  Ohio;  E.  I.  Du  Pont  de  Nemours  &  Company, 
Wilmington,  Del.;  Cleveland  Twist  Drill  Company,  Cleveland,  Ohio;  Ford  Motor 
Company,  Detroit,  Mich. 


FINANCIAL  AIDS — PROFIT-SHARING,    ETC.  389 

Summary 

As  will  be  seen  by  the  examples  just  given,  there  can 
be  no  blanket  plan  of  profit-sharing  for  all  concerns.  Plans 
and  methods  in  this  field  depend  upon  the  nature  of  the  con- 
cerns entering  into  it  and  upon  the  individual  desires  and 
experiences  of  employers.  Each  plant  must  work  out  its  own 
individual  method.  The  portion  of  profits  to  be  divided  must 
be  large  enough  to  give  to  each  participant  an  amount  suffi- 
cient to  secure  his  hearty  interest  in  it.  Distribution  must 
be  made  frequently  enough  so  that  there  may  be  no  cases  of 
long-deferred  payment,  since1-  the  employee  looks  upon  his 
share  of  the  profit  as  a  legitimate  part  of  his  pay  when  once 
the  system  has  been  adopted.  The  longest  period  for  profit 
division,  and  the  one  now  most  common  in  the  American 
industry,  is  one  year. 

Philanthropy  must  not  be  a  part  of  the  system,  although 
philanthropic  employers  were  the  first  to  adopt  it  in  this 
country.  Profit-sharing  must  stand  upon  its  merits  as  good 
business.  It  must  possess  actual  economic  advantage  for  em- 
ployer and  worker.  Otherwise,  it  is  bound  to  fail.  The 
proportion  of  profit  which  the  worker  is  to  receive  must  be 
definite  in  its  statement  of  rate  or  percentage  and  made  clear 
as  such  to  the  employee.  Profit-sharing  implies  an  educa- 
tional campaign  among  a  body  of  workers,  which,  rightly 
carried  out,  tends  to  make  the  worker  more  intelligent  and 
more  interested  in  his  concern.  Finally,  profit-sharing  as  a 
means  of  promoting  labor  stability  must  rest  upon  sound  em- 
ployment methods. 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

LINKING  UP  WITH  THE  COMMUNITY 

The  Community  Idea 

The  community  idea  means  the  extension  of  educational 
and  social  opportunities  to  those  who  are  beyond  school  at- 
tendance. Only  10  per  cent  of  our  adult  citizens  have  had 
a  high  school  education,  and  only  50  per  cent  have  completed 
the  grammar  school.  It  is  clear,  then,  that  one  of  our  greatest 
national  needs,  if  not  the  greatest,  is  continued  education  and 
opportunity  throughout  the  years  of  employment.  The  com- 
munity center,  in  which  community  activities  for  the  public 
welfare  may  be  brought  together,  provides  a  partial  solution, 
at  least.  The  community  center  movement  is  based  upon  the 
fact  that  education  is  a  lifelong  process.  Further,  the  greatest 
good  of  each  member  of  society  is  the  concern  of  all  society. 
Community  service  may  be  called  common  interest  work.  It 
aims  at  the  preservation  of  health,  prosperity,  and  happiness 
of  all  persons.  It  begins  in  the  home  and  shop  and  concerns 
itself  with  improved  sanitation,  better  housing,  better  streets, 
better  parks  and  playgrounds,  and  with  every  movement  for 
the  general  good  of  the  community. 

The  Obligation  of  the  Employer 

What,  then,  so  deeply  concerns  the  public  at  large  must 
be  of  supreme  importance  to  the  world  of  industry.  Those 
who  are  illiterate,  those  who  lack  opportunity,  and  those  who 
may  have  but  little  incentive  and  encouragement,  are  found 
in  almost  every  employment.  The  employer  has,  accord- 
ingly, a  very  high  duty,  to  co-operate  with  every  movement 

390 


LINKING   UP  WITH  THE   COMMUNITY  391 

for  community  benefit.  This  involves  more  than  con- 
tributing financial  support  to  local  activities.  The  em- 
ployer or  corporation  may  work  through  officials  and  em- 
ployees in  his  co-operation  with  community  service.  He  may, 
indeed,  employ  a  special  expert  to  represent  him  in  his  share 
of  community  service. 

Kinds  of  Industrial  Communities 

There  are  two  kinds  of  industrial  communities:  one  estab- 
lished and  practically  owned  by  a  corporation  or  local  industry, 
and  the  other  the  ordinary  town  or  city  community  in  which 
an  industry  has  grown  up.  Examples  of  the  first  kind  are 
Gary,  Indiana,  and  the  shipyard  towns — entire  communities 
with  every  necessary  facility — recently  constructed  by  the 
national  government.  In  such  communities,  industry  naturally 
guides  activities  for  the  public  welfare.  It  may,  of  course, 
secure  help  and  co-operation  from  outside  sources.  The  ques- 
tion becomes  one  mainly  of  what  shall  be  done.  On  the  other 
hand,  an  industry  planted  in  an  old  community  must  assume 
its  part  in  community  activities. 

Community  Organization 

The  first  step  in  the  undertaking  of  linking  up  with  the 
community  is  a  recognition  of  the  nature  of  the  problem. 
Those  who  have  the  launching  of  organization  for  community 
service  must  study  carefully  into  the  community's  history  and 
activities.  They  should  know  what  has  been  done  in  cities 
and  towns  throughout  this  country  and  in  other  countries. 
The  second  step  should  be  a  determination  of  the  boundaries 
of  the  locality  to  be  served.  An  industrial  plant  that  owns 
a  town  or  determines  its  activities  will  have  its  local  boundaries 
already  made  clear.  A  plant  which  co-operates  with  other 
agencies  in  community  activities  is  likely  to  interest  itself 
as  widely  as  the  homes  of  its  employees  are  scattered.  The 


392  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

third  step  in  organization,  from  the  standpoint  of  an  industrial 
concern,  is  to  determine  what  agencies  and  individuals  may 
be  called  in  to  assist  or  join  in  co-operation.  When  these 
basic  kinds  of  information  are  established — the  nature  of  the 
work  to  be  done,  the  area  to  be  served,  and  the  co-workers 
in  service — then  definite  steps  for  a  formal  organization  may 
take  place.  Primary  meetings  may  be  held  for  the  benefit 
of  those  who  are  to  share  in  the  work.  With  formal  organiza- 
tions a  constitution  is  usually  adopted  defining  the  purposes 
and  methods  of  the  undertaking.  The  usual  officers  of  com- 
mittees are  appointed. 

The  Community  Secretary 

The  executive  officer  is  usually  called  the  community  secre- 
tary. He  is  chosen  by  ballot  by  the  entire  organization,  as 
his  function  is  recognized  to  be  the  most  important  function 
in  community  activity.  His  is  a  new  profession.  He  must 
have  all  the  training  of  the  schools  and  practical  experience 
in  social  and  civic  work.  There  may  be  a  number  of  com- 
munity secretaries  for  an  organization  whose  territory  is  so 
large  that  it  must  be  cared  for  in  divisions. 

Frequently  when  community  activity  calls  for  considerable 
physical  development  in  a  town,  such  as  the  laying  out  of 
streets  and  parks,  the  proper  arrangement  of  new  buildings 
for  public  use  or  private  dwelling,  and  sanitation,  an  expert 
engineer,  town-  or  city-planner,  or  landscape  architect  may 
be  employed  for  a  shorter  or  longer  time.  Here  again  our 
subject  verges  into  housing. 

The  Civic  Center 

The  community  or  civic  center,  that  is  to  say  the  place 
of  meeting  (for  the  meeting  must  ever  be  the  prelude  to  any 
community  activity),  is  more  often  a  school  building  than 


LINKING   UP  WITH  THE   COMMUNITY  393 

a  building  of  any  other  kind.  The  school  is  the  natural  meet- 
ing place  of  old  and  young.  It  is  usually  free  from  political 
or  sectarian  influences.  In  it  people  may  meet  in  common 
interests  and  with  united  endeavor  to  carry  out  all  that  is 
embodied  in  the  modern  community  idea. 

The  primary  objects  of  organization,  as  was  pointed  out 
at  the  beginning  of  this  chapter,  are  the  promotion  of  educa- 
tional opportunity  and  social  benefit.  The  kinds  of  activity 
the  organization  is  to  maintain  have  been  indicated.  There 
may  be  subsidiary  or  associate  bodies  in  the  work  or  forms 
of  work,  such  as  the  home  and  school  league,  the  local  agricul- 
tural association,  and  the  community  forum. 


An  Example  of  Community  Building  and  Improvement 

The  United  States  Steel  Corporation  has  accomplished  so 
much  in  community  service  in  recent  years  that  it  seems  well 
to  present  some  of  its  work  at  this  point.  There  are  two 
general  types  of  the  new  Steel  Corporation  towns.  The  first 
type  is  that  of  the  towns  which  are  created  to  serve  only 
a  temporary  function,  such  as  may  be  found  at  some  of 
the  coal  and  iron  mines.  These  towns  are  little  more  than 
camps.  In  such  places  the  Steel  Corporation  assumes  all  the 
responsibilities  of  government  and  general  welfare.  The 
second  and  higher  type  of  Steel  Corporation  town  is  that 
in  which  permanency  is  expected.  In  these  towns  the  most 
modern  living  conditions  are  provided  and  future  betterment 
is  planned  for.  The  corporation  does  not  attempt  to  dominate 
the  whole  enterprise,  and  a  new  town  quickly  assumes  a 
character  of  its  own.  It  chooses  its  own  administrative  officers, 
and  conducts  its  affairs  according  to  the  wishes  of  the  ma- 
jority of  the  citizens.  The  community  idea,  however,  develops 
more  rapidly  and  effectively  in  such  towns  than  in  most  of 
our  older,  conservative,  industrial  communities. 


394  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

Two  Examples  of  Steel  Corporation  Towns 

Gary,  Indiana,  and  Fairfield,  Alabama,  are  the  most  strik- 
ing examples  of  what  the  Steel  Corporation  has  accomplished 
in  recent  years  in  the  creation  of  industrial  communities. 
Gary  was  planned  and  built  by  the  Gary  Land  Company,  a 
subsidiary  company  of  the  Steel  Corporation.  Fairfield  was 
developed  in  co-operation  with  the  Steel  Corporation  by  a 
private  corporation,  the  Gemison  Real  Estate  and  Insurance 
Company,  of  Birmingham,  Alabama.  In  these  enterprises, 
as  in  others  of  a  similar  nature,  two  purposes  are  paramount 
— to  provide  good  housing,  and  to  establish  the  idea  of  civic 
unity,  as  will  appear  in  the  following  paragraphs  from  an 
article  by  C.  J.  Stark,  associate  editor  of  the  Iron  Trade 
Review: 

Fairfield  is  the  latest  and  probably  best  example  of  city- 
building  from  a  Steel  Corporation  standpoint.  It  surpasses 
even  Gary  in  the  extent  of  its  public  works  and  in  the 
general  provision  for  the  workman  of  modest  income.  It 
represents  another  step  forward  in  the  approach  toward  the 
perfect  mill  community.  The  lessons  gained  from  Gary 
and  other  steel  towns  have  been  utilized  to  good  purpose 
in  the  newer  city. 

The  new  city  of  Fairfield  lies  southwest  of  Birmingham 
and  between  that  city  and  Bessemer.  It  is  6  miles  from  the 
center  of  Birmingham,  6l/2  miles  from  Bessemer,  and  I  mile 
from  Ensley.  It  adjoins  a  tract  of  more  than  2,000  acres 
of  land  acquired  by  the  Steel  Corporation  several  years  ago 
for  the  future  development  of  its  southern  resources.  The 
town  site  is  served  by  four  southern  trunk  lines :  the  Bir- 
mingham Southern,  the  Southern,  the  Louisville  and  Nash- 
ville, and  the  'Frisco  system.  Its  topography  is  favorable  to 
the  development  of  attractive  residential  surroundings.  On 
a  portion  of  the  site  are  wooded  hills  which  have  contributed 
much  toward  the  landscape  beauty  of  the  town.  The  manu- 
facturing units  of  the  Steel  Corporation  recently  completed 
or  now  under  construction,  are  the  plants  of  the  American 
Steel  and  Wire  Company,  to  cost  $4,000,000,  and  a  by-product 


LINKING   UP   WITH   THE   COMMUNITY  395 

coke  plant  of  the  Tennessee  Coal,  Iron  and  Railroad  Com- 
pany, of  an  estimated  cost  of  $3,500,000.  These  works  are 
so  located  that  they  directly  face  Fairfield.  .  .  . 

The  town  of  Fairfield  has  been  laid  out  and  planned  with 
minute  attention  to  every  feature  of  importance  in  a  modern 
city,  where  workmen  are  to  make  up  the  great  portion  of 
its  population.  The  scheme  of  the  town  revolves  about  a 
central  park  area,  where  are  located  a  civic  center,  the  plaza, 
and  the  park.  About  the  civic  center  are  being  grouped  in 
a  quadrangle,  with  an  open  parade  within,  the  public  build- 
ings of  the  town,  all  of  which,  it  is  provided,  will  harmonize 
architecturally.  These  public  buildings  include  a  town  hall, 
library,  Y.  M.  C.  A.,  public  bath,  and  a  training  school. 
The  civic  group  is  approached  by  a  wide  plaza,  which  is 
flanked  by  business  buildings.  These  structures  conform  in 
style  to  those  of  the  civic  group.  The  plaza  is  247  feet  long 
by  150  feet  wide  and  is  paralleled  by  two  business  streets, 
which  run  from  Gary  Avenue,  the  principal  business  thor- 
oughfare, to  Carnegie  Avenue  and  the  civic  center.  Gary 
Avenue  passes  through  the  town  to  an  entrance  to  the  Ameri- 
can Steel  and  Wire  Company's  plant.  Near  the  center  of 
the  town,  a  second  important  business  thoroughfare,  Craw- 
ford Street,  intersects  with  it.  Crawford  Street  leads  to  the 
main  entrance  of  the  coke  plant  of  the  Tennessee  Coal,  Iron 
and  Railroad  Company,  and  to  the  plant  of  the  Harbison- 
Walker  Refractories  Company.  The  junction  of  these  two 
streets  forms  the  business  center  of  the  town.  The  park 
area  about  the  civic  center  will  be  developed  as  the  town 
grows,  and  requires  more  recreative  space.  There  has  been 
established  or  provisions  made  in  this  section  for  wading- 
pools,  athletic  fields,  outdoor  gymnasium,  and  other  open- 
air  pastimes. 

The  Four  Bases  of  Community  Welfare 

The  National  Cash  Register  Company  bases  its  community 
activities  upon  the  following  four  fundamental  principles: 

i.  Neighborhood   improvement   increases   the   value   of 
property. 


396  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

2.  The  whole  community  benefits  by  what  is  done  in  one 

section. 

3.  The  employee  who  is  happy  at  his  work  is  naturally 

interested  in  the  well-being  of  the  community.     He, 
therefore,  takes  an  interest  in  civic  affairs. 

4.  What  one  factory  does  for  its  employees  affects  the 

community,  because  these  same  thoughts  are  carried 
from  the  factory  to  neighborhood  meetings. 

The  Hills  and  Dales  Club,  a  community  club,  conducted 
by  this  company,  is  open  to  anyone  living  in  Dayton  or  vicinity. 
The  membership  dues  are  $i  a  year.  Camps  located  in  Hills 
and  Dales  Park,  are  attractively  fitted  out,  and  are  used  by 
large  numbers  annually. 

Community  Festivals  and  Mutual  Enterprises 

Among  the  activities  in  which  industry  may  co-operate 
with  the  community  are  public  festivals,  celebrations,  and 
enterprises  for  the  common  good.  Agricultural  fairs  in  rural 
districts  are  among  the  best  known  means  of  community 
expression.  In  all  cases  where  such  a  fair  is  held  we  find 
industrial  establishments  co-operating  with  local  committees 
and  agricultural  leaders  in  the  management  of  the  fair,  and 
contributing  to  its  support  by  taking  advertising  space  in  its 
circulars,  and  by  exhibiting  articles  of  manufacture.  The 
celebration  of  the  Fourth  of  July  throughout  the  country  owes 
its  success  largely  to  industry  and  community  co-operation. 
Other  local  celebrations  often  succeed  best  under  the  same 
conditions.  The  opening  of  a  new  athletic  field  in  a  town 
or  city  is  usually  made  an  occasion  for  a  general  celebration. 
When  such  an  observance  does  not  come  upon  a  public  holiday, 
industrial  plants  usually  shut  down  for  the  day  or  half -day, 
so  that  their  workers  may  join  in  the  activities  and  pleasures 
of  the  public  event.  It  is  well  known  that  in  the  countries 


LINKING   UP   WITH   THE   COMMUNITY  397 

of  the  old  world  the  celebration  of  the  religious  and  public 
holidays  has  become  a  serious  detriment  to  industrial  produc- 
tion. We  have  not  yet  reached  that  stage,  however,  in 
America. 

Strictly  Community  Festivals 

Frequently  a  concern  conducts  a  rally  day  or  field  day, 
planned  to  develop  company  spirit  and  enjoyment.  At  such 
times  athletic  contests  and  other  events  in  which  many  persons 
take  part  are  provided.  Prizes  are  offered  by  the  company, 
and  the  event  usually  comes  to-  have  all  the  interest  and  sig- 
nificance of  an  annual  celebration. 

Folk  Festival  of  Norton  Grinding  Company 

Among  the  most  conspicuous  of  recent  community  activi- 
ties are  folk  festivals  and  pageants.  The  folk  festival  is  a 
celebration  in  which  the  usual  activities  of  business  and  indus- 
try are  put  aside  and  young  and  old  join  in  a  program  of 
pleasure.  In  a  small  town  the  festival  usually  includes  all 
the  people  who  can  join  in  it;  and  in  the  large  town  or  city 
such  a  portion  of  the  people  as  have  common  interests  and 
associations,  as  for  instance  the  employees  of  a  large  concern, 
with  their  families.  An  excellent  example  of  a  folk  festival 
is  that  conducted  by  the  Norton  Grinding  Company  of  Wor- 
cester, Massachusetts.  .One  of  these  has  been  described  in 
the  Norton  Spirit,  a  plant  magazine  of  the  company: 

It  is  not  necessary  to  tell  those  who  were  with  us  last 
year  what  a  Norton  Folk  Fest  is  like.  It  is  one  round  of 
social  enjoyment  and  interesting  excitement  lasting  an  entire 
afternoon.  It  is  a  day  for  the  girls  and  boys,  as  well  as 
their  fathers  and  mothers,  and  the  man  who  forgets  or 
neglects  to  invite  every  member  of  the  family  to  this  year's 
Folk  Fest  ought  to  be  subjected  to  severe  punishment  to 
suit  the  occasion.  This  is  a  Norton  family  day  and  each 
member  of  every  Norton  family  is  invited  and  welcome. 


398  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

A  large  committee  is  at  work  making  plans  for  the  after- 
noon. The  big  stunt,  as  in  past  years,  will  be  the  Folk 
Fest  parade.  In  all  probability  the  parade  this  year  will  be 
larger  and  fully  as  interesting  as  last  year.  It  will  form 
at  2:15  o'clock  on  New  Bond  Street.  At  the  head  of  the 
parade  will  be  our  general  manager,  Charles  L.  Allen,  as 
Chief  Marshal;  and  inasmuch  as  J.  C.  Spence  of  Norton 
Grinding  Company,  is  again  the  organizer  and  manager  of 
the  parade,  we  are  assured  of  a  spectacular  pageant  with 
many  stunts,  clownish  performances,  and  plenty  of  noise. 

The  parade  will  disband  on  the  baseball  field  where  the 
entire  crowd  will  be  entertained  for  an  hour  or  more.  Not 
the  least  interesting  part  of  the  entertainment  will  be  a 
delightful  band  concert  by  The  American  Band  of  Provi- 
dence, formerly  Reeves  Band — an  organization  of  40  musi- 
cians that  is  considered  one  of  the  best  in  the  East. 

While  the  entire  program  cannot  be  revealed  at  this  time, 
it  is  certain  that  there  will  be  a  horse  show  and  we  know 
we  are  to  be  entertained  with  a  performance  and  concert 
by  the  Norton  clowns  and  the  famous  Whetstone  Band  led 
by  Si  Pikestone,  the  better  known  as  Tom  Marshall. 

After  the  concert  all  visitors  are  extended  a  cordial 
invitation  to  visit  Indian  Hill  Village.  Some  of  the  attrac- 
tive Indian  Hill  houses  will  be  open  for  inspection  and 
possibly  especially  furnished  for  the  occasion. 

There  will  be  ice-cream  and  soft-drink  stands  at  different 
points  on  the  hill,  as  well  as  on  the  baseball  field. 

The  entertainment  is  to  close  with  a  grand  display  of 
daylight  fireworks.  The  program,  arranged  especially  for 
the  occasion  by  the  International  Fireworks  Company,  of 
Jersey  City,  New  Jersey,  consists  of  more  than  40  pieces, 
great  bomb  shells  which  make  terrific  reports  and  release 
various  objects  in  the  air.  Reference  to  the  program  shows 
that  not  only  will  there  be  a  grand  salute  to  the  American 
flag  and  such  objects  as  Japanese  umbrellas,  floating  fish, 
flocks  of  birds,  but  the  children  will  recognize  in  the  air 
their  old  friends  Mutt  and  Jeff,  Happy  Hooligan,  and  the 
Merry  Widow.  There  will  be  floating  elephants,  racing 
boats,  pigeons,  Uncle  Sam,  aerial  band,  balloons  and  confetti, 
and  the  American  Eagle;  and  exhibition  of  the  national 


LINKING   UP   WITH   THE   COMMUNITY  399 

colors,  floating  serpents,  aeroplanes,  dogs,  and  other  animals. 
This  is  only  a  hint  as  to  what  the  full  program  of  the 
display  contains. 

A  dance  platform  will  be  located  at  the  corner  of  Indian 
Hill  and  Ponken  Roads,  where  ex-President  Roosevelt 
planted  the  oak  tree  on  September  i,  the  spot  now  known  as 
Roosevelt  Place. 

The  exhibition  of  garden  products  and  flowers  will  be  of 
more  interest  this  year  than  ever  before.  The  Agricultural 
Fair  is  to  be  held  in  the  New  General  Department  Building 
near  the  baseball  field.  The  building  is  just  being  completed 
and  all  visitors  to  the  Folk  Fest  will  enjoy  inspecting  this 
building,  even  though  they  rnight  not  be  interested  in  the 
fair.  Don't  fail  to  visit  the  exhibit  before  you  leave  the 
vicinity  of  the  baseball  field. 

Pageant  of  Merchant  Shipbuilding  Company 

The  Merchant  Shipbuilding  Corporation  of  Harriman, 
Pennsylvania,  on  Labor  Day,  1918,  conducted  an  elaborate 
pageant  of  employees  Who  represented  twenty-six  nationalities. 
The  affair  was  called  a  "Pageant  of  Nations"  and  over  9,000 
took  part.  Part  of  the  program  consisted  of  a  cable  from 
the  participants  to  General  Pershing  pledging  their  best  effort 
in  helping  him  defeat  our  enemies.  The  cablegram  read: 

Shipworkers  of  Merchant  Plant,  Harriman,  representing 
twenty-six  nationalities,  by  a  united  pageant  on  this  signifi- 
cant day,  pledge  to  you  sixteen  ships  this  year,  and  our 
devotion  to  our  common  cause  until  victory  is  assured. 

Other  features  of  the  program  were  the  dedication  of  two 
new  buildings — the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  and  the  Service  Building. 

Minor  Community  Activities 

There  are  numerous  smaller  activities  in  community  service 
in  which  industrial  establishments  generally  take  part.  These 
relate  to  the  home,  school,  church,  settlement  house,  play- 


400  LABOR  MAINTENANCE 

ground,  and  other  interests  of  general  concern.  Connected 
with  the  home  life  are.the  planting  of  gardens,  vegetables,  and 
flowers,  the  care  of  lawns,  the  canning  of  fruits,  the  teaching 
of  household  arts,  and  similar  duties,  all  of  which  may  be 
encouraged  in  the  home  and  taught  in  the  community  center. 

Gardening 

The  planting  of  war  gardens  has  given  a  great  impetus 
to  gardening,  which  results  in  increased  production  in  town 
and  village,  new  habits  of  industry  and  economy,  and  added 
health  and  enjoyment  of  outdoor  life  among  workers.  In 
many  cases  manufacturing  concerns  have  provided  plots  of 
land  for  free  use  by  employers,  with  all  needed  help  and  advice. 

The  United  States  Steel  Corporation,  whose  plants  are 
situated  in  extensive  country  districts,  has  been  especially 
generous  in  this  respect.  One  of  its  subsidiary  companies, 
the  H.  C.  Frick  Coke  Company,  may  be  taken  as  an  example. 
The  following  information  relative  to  gardening  prizes,  etc., 
for  the  year  1914,  gives  a  good  idea  of  the  interest  the  em- 
ployees of  the  H.  C.  Frick  Coke  Company  are  taking  in  plant- 
ing gardens: 

Cultivated  or  growing  vegetable  and  flower  gardens 6,923 

Lots  sown  in  grass  and  oats 43 

Lots  where  tenants  have  changed  during  year 20 

Lots  converted  into  chicken  yards,  tenants  sick,  etc 27 

Indifferent  tenants  (not  desiring  gardens) 87 

Vacant  property   183 

Total  lots  available  for  cultivation 7,2&3 

Percentage  cultivated 95 

Number  tenants  whose  lots  are  not  fenced 149 

Total  tenants  7,477 

Percentage  of  tenants  raising  gardens 92 

The  awarding  of  prizes  was  begun  during  the  season  of 
IQIO  and  the  following  season  the  company  began  to  issue 


LINKING   UP   WITH   THE   COMMUNITY  4O1 

certificates  in  connection  with  the  prizes.  At  all  plants  having 
300  ovens  or  more,  three  prizes  of  $10,  $5,  and  $3  are  awarded 
for  best  vegetable  gardens,  and  three  prizes  of  $5,  $3,  and  $i 
for  the  best  flower  gardens.  At  plants  having  less  than  3 
ovens,  two  prizes  each  of  $6  and  $3  for  vegetables,  and  $4 
and  $2  for  flower  gardens  are  awarded,  $1,277.25  being  ex- 
pended in  prizes  for  the  year  1914. 

The  superintendent  at  each  plant  selects  three  judges  as 
a  committee  to  inspect  the  gardens  each  year,  these  judges 
being  neighboring  farmers  or  business  people. 

Playgrounds  and  Kindergartens 

The  playgrounds  provided  by  the  United  States  Steel  Cor- 
poration for  children  in  the  communities  in  which  the  sub- 
sidiary companies  are  located  are  an  important  part  of  the 
community  service  of  this  corporation.  There  are  over  137 
such  playgrounds.  In  most  cases  the  company's  unused  land 
is  utilized  for  the  purpose  and  the  equipment  and  the  labor 
in  putting  the  ground  in  shape  are  provided  by  the  company. 
The  grounds  are  placed  in  the  hands  of  capable  instructors 
who  are  paid  by  the  company.  At  some  of  the  playgrounds 
instruction  is  provided  in  sewing,  basketry,  and  handicraft. 
At  night,  parents  and  children  are  invited  to  see  motion  pic- 
tures. The  daily  average  attendance  in  the  summer  is  around 
18,000.  It  is  not  difficult  to  see  what  a  good  influence  on 
the  children  such  opportunity  offers  and  experience  has  borne 
this  out. 

Kindergartens  have  been  an  important  work  of  Joseph 
Bancroft  and  Sons  Company,  Wilmington,  Delaware,  one  of 
the  oldest  bleaching  and  dyeing  establishments  in  the  country, 
in  their  villages  of  Rockford  and  Kentmere.  The  Rockford 
Kindergarten  was  opened  in  1890  and  has  been  in  charge 
of  an  experienced  leader.  The  Kentmere  Kindergarten  was 
started  in  1896. 


402  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

Education 

Industry  may  do  much  with  educational  work  in  a  com- 
munity, in  connection  with  the  public  school  or  civic  center. 
It  may  advise  in  courses  of  study  for  adults  as  well  as  for 
youths,  provide  and  train  vocational  teachers,  and  aid  in  super- 
vising industrial  classes.  The»industry  may  provide  the  labora- 
tory for  the  industrial  student,  as  is  so  frequently  the  case 
in  part-time  education. 

Building  Citizens 

Industry  may  be  especially  serviceable  in  training  for 
citizenship.  The  example  of  the  National  Cash  Register  Com- 
pany is  especially  inspiring. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  features  of  the  service  work 
carried  on  by  this  company  is  among  the  children  of  the 
city.  The  way  so-called  bad  boys  of  Dayton  were  converted 
to  good  citizenship  by  the  "N.  C.  R."  would  make  an  in- 
teresting story. 

John  H.  Patterson,  president  of  the  company,  long  ago 
realized  that  it  was  necessary  to  have  a  firm  foundation  for 
any  permanent  good.  As  the  boy  is  said  to  be  the  father 
of  the  man,  so  the  efforts  of  this  great  organization  were 
directed  toward  the  youngsters  of  the  community,  as  well  as 
toward  their  elders,  in  a  campaign  for  good  citizenship. 

The  boys  and  girls  of  Dayton  are  being  instructed  in  the 
things  that  are  worth  while.  Boys'  gardens,  girls'  gardens, 
community  playgrounds,  and  the  boys'  box  furniture  company 
are  but  a  few  of  the  steps. 

One  of  the  most  effective  methods  of  developing  the 
minds  of  the  young  and  preparing  them  for  future  good 
citizenship,  has  been  found  through  the  medium  of  enter- 
tainments which  are  both  educational  and  interesting.  These 
entertainments  are  held  each  Saturday  morning  in  the  N.  C.  R. 
Schoolhouse  and  at  the  N.  C.  R.  City  Club. 


LINKING   UP   WITH   THE   COMMUNITY  4°3 

All  the  boys  and  girls  in  Dayton  are  invited  to  come  to 
these  meetings,  which  are  free  to  everybody.  The  program 
usually  starts  with  the  singing  of  illustrated  patriotic  songs 
by  the  boys  and  girls.  Then  the  company  physician,  Dr.  F. 
G.  Barr,  gives  a  short  talk  on  health,  presenting  his  subject 
in  such  a  way  that  the  children  will  understand  and  appreciate 
it.  Stereopticon  views  help  bring  home  forceful  points.  At 
times  other  speakers  talk  to  the  youngsters  on  matters  of 
common  good,  which  will  benefit,  and  at  the  same  time  interest 
them.  A  statement  from  the  company  continues : 

1. 

After  this,  educational  and  entertaining  moving  pictures 
are  shown.  The  doings  of  the  screen  actors  make  the  chil- 
dren tremendously  happy,  and  it  is  a  treat  to  see  those  beam- 
ing little  faces  and  hear  their  joyous  laughter.  Following 
the  pictures  is  the  chief  event  of  the  morning  when  refresh- 
ments are  served  to  the  hundreds  of  little  guests.  The  at- 
tendance of  the  two  meetings  is  usually  about  1,000.  The 
time  of  the  meetings  is  arranged  so  that  one  speaker  can 
talk  to  both  audiences  the  same  morning.  The  meetings  last 
about  two  hours. 

It  should  hardly  be  necessary  to  say  that  these  meetings 
are  very  popular  with  the  boys  and  girls,  as  well  as  with 
their  parents.  The  children  receive  the  right  kind  of 
knowledge,  presented  in  an  attractive  manner.  The  com- 
munity gains  valuable  citizens  and  greater  force  for  right 
and  justice. 

Athletics 

In  many  industrial  plants  athletic  teams  are  organized, 
often  becoming  members  of  local  leagues.  The  fact  that  such 
activities  are  conducted  in  the  name  of  the  company  and  under 
the  incentive  of  company  spirit  tends  to  raise  the  tone  of 
athletics  among  .those  who  participate.  The  worth  of  this 
kind  of  employee  activity  has  already  been  discussed  in  a 
previous  chapter. 


404  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

Community  Singing 

One  of  the  most  valuable  results  of  the  world  war  has 
been  community  singing,  in  which  industrial  concerns  are 
taking  a  leading  part.  Community  singing  and  orchestral 
work  by  the  employees  in  mercantile  and  industrial  plants  are 
spreading  throughout  the  land.  "Welcome  Home"  events  for 
the  service  men  and  the  national  week  of  song,  so  widely 
observed,  were  in  many  places  the  occasion  for  inaugurating 
the  movement.  The  much  talked  of  song  exercises  in  the 
Philadelphia  shipyards  and  in  meat-packing  plants  in  Chicago, 
which  were  organized  under  the  stress  of  the  war,  and  which 
proved  so  valuable  in  keeping  morale  and  efficiency  up  to 
pitch,  have  since  been  reproduced  in  scores  of  towns  and 
cities  in  times  of  peace.  It  is  estimated  that  there  are  at 
present  more  than  1,000  such  industrial  musical  organizations 
in  the  United  States. 

A  Development  of  the  Community  Idea 

The  recent  development  of  the  community  idea  in  the  fac- 
tory town  of  Walpole,  Massachusetts,  is  an  excellent  example 
of  what  may  be  accomplished  by  united  effort  and  organization 
in  an  industrial  locality.  The  Walpole  Town  Planning  Com- 
mittee issued  a  report  upon  its  work  in  a  volume  entitled 
"Town  Planning  for  Small  Communities,"  in  1917.  We  can- 
not better  close  this  chapter  than  by  quoting  from  this  report 
in  the  following  paragraphs: 

As  civilization  is  slowly  equalizing  conditions  in  the  countries 
throughout  the  world,  the  necessity  of  healthy  community  develop- 
ment, for  national  strength  and  security,  is  steadily  becoming  estab- 
lished as  a  national  concern  of  the  utmost  importance.  It  is  being 
realized  that  the  community  is  the  nation's  foundation,  and  that  the 
strength  and  greatness  of  a  nation  is  dependent  upon  the  united 
character  of  the  separate  communities  upon  which  it  is  built.  .  .  . 

First,  what  we  want  in  the  state  we  must  start  in  the  schools. 


LINKING   UP  WITH   THE   COMMUNITY  4°5 

The  times  demand  that  our  educational  system  should  be  changed. 
We  need  to  educate  not  only  the  intellect  of  children,  but  also  their 
heart  and  soul  and  body.  We  need  to  teach  the  principles  of  self- 
government,  to  awaken  the  sense  of  civic  responsibilities  and  citizenship 
alive  to  the  obligation  to  service,  necessary  for  community  strength 
and  progress,  and  continued  national  security.  Patriotism  begins 
at  home.  .  .  . 

Second,  we  need  community  organization.  Municipal  research 
bureaus,  civic  leagues,  boards  of  trade,  and  similar  organizations  have 
been  an  important  factor  in  community  development;  but  no  organiza- 
tion which  includes  only  one  group  of  citizens  is  a  complete  com- 
munity organization.  What  we  need  is  a  democratic  federation  of 
community  forces,  including  in  its  plan  not  only  the  organizations 
of  men,  but  of  the  women  of  the  community.  .  .  . 

This  committee  was  appointed  by  vote  of  the  citizens  of  Walpole 
in  March,  1913,  with  instructions  to  study  the  condition  and  needs 
of  the  town,  and  report  as  to  what  should  be  done  to  advance  town 
interests.  Our  first  step  was  to  consult  with  the  officers  and  com- 
mittees of  the  town  for  the  purpose  of  securing  all  available  ideas 
and  suggestions  that  would  be  of  value  to  us  in  outlining  our  work. 

The  second  step  was  to  engage  the  services  of  Mr.  John  Nolen 
to  prepare  development  plans  and  to  make  a  report  to  the  town. 

The  plans  which  were  prepared  by  Mr.  Nolen,  covering  the 
development  of  town  lands,  were  submitted  to  the  administrative 
officers  of  the  town,  and,  upon  approval,  were  placed  on  file  in  the 
office  of  the  selectmen. 

In  the  spring  of  1914,  a  bulletin  was  prepared  and  a  copy 
presented  to  each  citizen  in  town  as  a  preliminary  report  of  the 
committee. 

At  the  annual  town  meeting,  March  14,  1914,  the  general  plan 
upon  which  we  have  based  our  recommendations  for  physical  develop- 
ment was  accepted  by  the  citizens  as  the  official  town  plan  to  be 
followed  as  a  guide  in  all  future  development. 

At  this  same  meeting  the  following  article  was  passed: 

"That  the  voters  of  the  town  instruct  the  selectmen  to 
refer  to  the  Town  Planning  Committee  for  approval  or  dis- 
approval all  plans  for  the  location,  erection,  or  alteration  of 
public  buildings  in  town  and  all  plans  for  the  laying  out  of 
new  streets  or  alterations  in  widths,  grades  or  extensions 


406  LABOR  MAINTENANCE 

of  existing  streets,  and  instruct  the  selectmen,  when  any 
plans  are  disapproved  by  the  Town  Planning  Committee,  to 
refer  said  plans  to  the  voters  for  action  at  a  town  meeting 
before  executing  such  plans." 

In  1914,  this  committee  presented  to  the  Street  Committee  of 
the  town  a  definite  suggestion  that  an  engineer  be  engaged  to  make 
a  detailed  study  of  the  roads  and  ways  in  town  with  a  view  to 
determining  future  development.  This  suggestion  was  adopted  and 
the  report  of  the  engineer  was  included  in  the  annual  report  of  the 
Street  Committee.  .  .  . 

The  Walpole  Town  Planning  Committee,  in  its  relation  to  the 
administration  of  town  affairs,  enjoys  neither  executive  nor  adminis- 
trative authority.  It  is  created  to  serve  as  an  advisory  committee 
in  all  matters  having  to  do  with  future  town  needs.  As  town 
officers  and  committees  are  necessarily  occupied  with  immediate 
administrative  work,  it  is  impossible  for  them  to  give  sufficient  time 
.10  adequate  planning  for  the  future  growth  of  the  town.  It  is  this 
function  of  planning  which  the  Town  Planning  Committee  exercises. 

All  plans  prepared  by  the  Town  Planning  Committee  must  be 
submitted  to  the  town  authorities  for  approval;  but,  by  vote  of  the 
town,  no  action  can  be  taken  that  would  vitally  affect  the  future 
development  of  the  town,  before  referring  such  proposed  action  to 
this  committee. 

In  1913,  the  Massachusetts  Homestead  Commission  secured  the 
passage  of  the  following  act: 

"Every  city  of  the  Commonwealth,  and  every  town  hav- 
ing a  population  of  more  than  10,000  at  the  last  preceding 
national  or  state  census,  is  hereby  authorized  and  directed 
to  create  a  board,  to  be  known  as  the  planning  board, 
whose  duty  it  shall  be  to  make  careful  studies  of  the 
resources,  possibilities,  and  needs  of  the  city  or  town, 
particularly  with  respect  to  conditions  which  may  be  in- 
jurious to  the  public  health  or  otherwise  injurious  in  and 
about  dwellings,  and  to  make  plans  for  the  development  of 
the  municipality  with  special  reference  to  the  proper  housing 
of  its  people.  In  cities  the  said  shall  be  appointed  by  the 
mayor,  subject  to  confirmation  by  the  council,  and  in  cities 
under  the  commission  form  of  government,  so  called,  the 


LINKING   UP   WITH   THE   COMMUNITY 

members  of  the  board  shall  be  appointed  by  the  governing 
body  of  the  city.  In  towns,  the  members  of  the  board  shall 
be  elected  by  the  voters  at  the  annual  town  meeting.  .  .  ." 

A  community  organization  is  the  vital  force  that  will  prevent 
a  town,  as  it  grows,  from  becoming  ugly  and  unhealthy.  A  reason- 
ably safe  and  social  program,  consistently  carried  on  from  year 
to  year,  will  accomplish  wonderful  results.  It  is  expected  that  the 
Walpole  Community  Federation  will  be  an  effective  force  in  com- 
munity building.  .  .  . 

The  Town  Planning  Committee  is  responsible  for  the  plan  for 
the  future  needs  of  the  town.  The  Community  Federation  should 
be  responsible  for  outlining  the  town  program  of  action. 

This  committee  is  ready  at  any  time  to  meet  any  citizen  wishing 
information  upon  town  planning,  or  discuss  any  details  of  the  work 
of  the  committee.  It  is  eager  to  receive  suggestions  from  anyone 
regarding  town  needs. 

In  our  annual  report  to  the  town  we  recommend  that  six  specific 
tasks  be  accomplished  this  year: 

1.  Establish  the  width  of  Washington   Street  and  Main  Street 

and  establish  widths  and  grades  on  other  streets. 

2.  Make   additional   appropriation   to   continue   work   of    street 

survey. 

3.  Take  up  the  gradual  development  of  the  park  at  the  center 

with  a  view  to  its  complete  development  at  the  end  of  ten 
years. 

4.  Establish  a  town  forest.     An  appropriation  should  be  made 

to  enable  the  town  to  take  advantage  of  offer  of  land  for 
site.     Plans  for  development  have  been  prepared. 

5.  Begin  development  of  civic  center. 

6.  Organize  a  co-operative  real   estate  association.     Committee 

of  the  board  of  trade  has  this  matter  under  consideration 
and  should  push  plans  for  organization. 

Already  much  has  been  done  toward  carrying  out  these  recom- 
mendations. It  is  hoped  that  they  may  be  completed  before  the 
end  of  the  year. 

As  a  specific  program  for  the  ensuing  year,  we  believe  that 
something  should  be  done  toward  carrying  out  each  item  in  the 
following  program. 


408  LABOR   MAINTENANCE 

i.  Prepare  district  plan  showing  industrial,  commercial,  and  resi- 
dential sections  to  prevent  haphazard  development,  and  out- 
line a  program  to  stimulate  material  growth. 

2.  Get  one  new  industry  for  Walpole. 

3.  Bring  about  some  good  housing  development  under  the  direc- 

tion of  the  Co-operative  Real  Estate  Association. 

4.  Equip   playgrounds    and   establish   playground   instruction   as 

part  of  educational  system. 

5.  Adopt  model   charter   for  new   form   of  government. 

6.  Carry   out   annual   program   of   street   development   and   de- 

finitely establish  width  and  building  lines  of  required  number 
of  streets  to  carry  out  this  program. 

7.  Especially    establish    6o-foot    width    on    Washington    Street 

through  East  Walpole  Center. 

8.  Start  movement  toward   advancing  agricultural   interests   of 

the  town,  assisted  by  the  Norfolk  County  Agricultural 
School,  which,  largely  through  the  efforts  of  the  board  of 
trade,  is  to  be  located  in  Walpole. 

COMMUNITY 
Accomplished  in  whole,  or  in  part 

1.  Agreement  on  the  part  of  the  directors  of  the  Improvement 

Federation  to  need  for  reorganization  of  present  Improve- 
ment Federation  to  community  organization. 

2.  Published  bulletin:  "Walpole  Plan  Today  for  Tomorrow." 

3.  Acceptance  of  town  plan. 

4.  Organized  1920  Better  Walpole  Campaign  under  Federation. 

5.  Publish  preliminary  report  on  town  manager  form  of  govern- 

ment. 

6.  Organization  of  Choral  Society  under  Federation. 

7.  Appointment  of  Pageant  Committee  to  consider  yearly  town 

entertainment,  under  Federation. 

8.  Assistance  to  Boy  Scout  organization. 

9.  System  of  exercises,  planting  of  first  acre  of  town  forest 

by  children  of  the  town. 

RECOMMENDATIONS 

i.  Establish  town  Federation  and  community  organization  along 
suggestions  included  in  last  chapter  of  this  report. 


LINKING   UP   WITH   THE   COMMUNITY  4°9 

2.  Establish  community  house. 

3.  Make  wider  use  of  school  buildings. 

4.  Make  industrial  survey. 

5.  Make  social  survey. 

6.  Promote  co-operative  societies. 

7.  Establish  trade  center. 

8.  Develop  rural  activities. 

9.  Develop  truck  farming. 

10.  Develop   intensive   farming. 

11.  Establish  packing  and  canning  industry. 

12.  Accept   law   providing    for    agricultural    school    in    Norfolk 

County. 

13.  Establish  town  orchestra. 

14.  Establish  annual  festival  day.,. 

15.  Promote  clean  amusement  enterprise,  motion  picture,  etc. 

16.  Install  gymnasium  apparatus  in  schools. 

17.  Start  playground  organization  under  school  department. 

18.  Promote  folk  dancing  and  play  picnics. 

19.  Individuals  donate  use  of  land  for  gardens. 

20.  Secure  filter  beds  and  install  sewer  system. 

21.  Co-operate  with  the  state  board  of  health. 

22.  Establish  milk  regulations. 

23.  Extend  school  inspection. 

24.  Combine  duties  of  school  nurse  and  supervisor  of  attendance 

and  appoint  competent  person. 

25.  Extend  visiting  nurse  service. 

26.  Establish  dental  clinic. 

27.  Improve  sanitary  inspection. 

28.  Develop  residential  growth  of  the  town. 

29.  Make  housing  survey. 

30.  Encourage  co-partnership  housing  plans. 

31.  Enforce  building  regulations. 


APPENDIX  A 

FORM  OF  RECORDING  LABOR  TURNOVER1 
MEASURING  THE  STABILITY  OF  THE  WORKING  FORCE 

Getting  at  the  Basic  Factors 

Employment  managers  and  others  engaged  in  the  work 
are  still  finding  difficulty  in  arriving  at  a  standard  practice 
whereby  they  can  measure  the  stability  of  labor  in  particular 
plants,  so  that  the  results  may  be  comparable  with  those  of 
other  concerns. 

There  is  a  difference  of  opinion  about  the  factors  that 
should  be  considered  in  computing  the  percentage  of  labor 
turnover.  While  there  is  some  agreement  as  to  the  formula 
to  be  used  in  arriving  at  this  percentage,  much  discussion 
centers  around  such  questions  as  whether  computation  should 
be  made  on  the  basis  of  new  workers  hired,  or  upon  the 
number  of  terminations  from  employment.  Attempt  at  a 
workable  formula  has  brought  forth  theories  which  have  only 
served  to  befog  the  issues. 

Lack  of  a  simple  terminology  has  also  added  to  the  con- 
fusion. When  use  is  made  of  such  terms  as  "Hires,"  "Hir- 
ings,"  "Leavings,"  "Quits,"  "Firings" — when  charts  are  made 
so  complicated  that  only  the  expert  who  created  them  can 
explain  them — it  is  no  wonder  that  many  an  executive  has 
shown  his  impatience  with  efforts  to  make  a  mystery  of  a 
simple  proposition.  The  problem  is  not  an  academic  one  to 
be  solved  by  researches  in  the  field  of  higher  mathematics. 


JSee  Chapter  I. 

410 


FORM   OF    RECORDING   LABOR   TURNOVER  41 1 

What  those  who  shape  the  labor  policies  of  a  concern 
want  to  know  is  the  facts,  and  they  want  a  simple,  practical, 
easily  understood  method  of  getting  those  facts,  presented 
in  the  simplest  possible  form.  They  want  a  method  which 
enables  them  to  compare  their  facts  with  those  of  executives 
in  other  plants,  so  that  when  percentages  or  other  figures  are 
discussed  all  will  know  that  the  results  are  arrived  at  in  the 
same  way  in  each  case. 


Some  Basic  Factors 

Now  what  are  some  of  the -basic  factors  in  the  measure- 
ment of  labor  stability?  Labor  turnover  is  the  condition  in 
industry  represented  by  the  engagement,  loss,  and  replace- 
ment of  workers.  It  represents  the  leakage  or  waste  of  man- 
power in  terms  of  shifts  in  the  working  force. 

A  high  turnover  indicates  several  things.  It  may  mean 
that  the  conditions  of  employment  are  unsatisfactory,  that 
the  management  is  inefficient,  that  the  methods  of  the  manage- 
ment are  wrong,  that  insufficient  attention  is  being  given  to 
the  human  factors  which  govern  the  relations  between  the 
management  and  the  workers  (see  Chapter  XXI),  that  workers 
are  not  carefully  selected,  that  they  are  not  properly  placed, 
that  no  incentives  toward  the  best  effort  of  the  workers  are 
offered,  that  man-power  is  being  wasted. 

There  may  be  other  causes  for  a  high  turnover  of  labor 
beyond  the  control  of  the  management;  but  careful  analysis 
of  its  labor  losses  by  a  concern  will  readily  show  where  the 
trouble  lies.  It  is  important  that  accurate  records  of  changes 
in  personnel  should  be  kept.  Each  worker  who  terminates 
his  employment  should  be  interviewed  to  learn  why  he  leaves, 
if  he  leaves  of  his  own  accord.  It  has  been  the  general  ex- 
perience of  industrial  plants  throughout  this  country  that  it 
is  much  easier  to  control  the  conditions  of  discharge  of  workers 


412  APPENDIX 

so  that  their  number  may  be  reduced  than  it  is  to  control  the 
voluntary  termination  of  employment 

Means  for  Recording  Turnover 

The  author  has  devised  a  special  form  for  recording  in- 
formation as  to  the  stability  of  labor  and  making  the  results 
easily  available.  (See  Fgure  28.)  Those  who  wish  to  use 
this  form  or  to  arrange  one  themselves  will  find  the  following 
explanation  of  the  terms  helpful: 

In  the  following  explanation,  the  numbers  used  correspond  to 
the  numbers  of  the  columns  on  the  blank.  The  terms  used  at  the 
head  of  columns  I  to  12  are  self-explanatory.  The  term  "Wages" 
(13)  will  include  resignations  owing  to  inadequate  wages,  failure 
to  adjust  rates  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  worker,  deductions  for  lost 
time  which  often  result  in  a  worker  losing  his  interest  in  the  job, 
failure  to  pay  wages  promised,  or  other  reasons  of  this  nature. 

"Better  Job  Elsewhere"  (14)  will  include  such  reasons  as  more 
opportunity  for  advancement  or  promotion,  finding  another  Job  more 
suited  to  the  training  or  experience  of  the  employee,  possible  better 
treatment  in  a  new  job  by  superiors  or  fellow- workers. 

"Housing  Conditions"  (15)  may  mean  inadequate  housing  accom- 
modations, rents  that  are  too  high ;  poor  condition  of  company  houses 
if  such  are  used  by  the  employees,  or  that  the  employee  lives  too 
far  from  his  work. 

"Industrial  Accidents"  (16)  includes  accidents  occurring  in  the 
course  of  employment.  Often  workers  will  leave  because  they  are 
under  the  impression  that  there  are  too  many  accidents  in  the  plant 
and  nothing  can  convince  them  that  they  are  wrong. 

"Work  Conditions"  (17)  will  include  unsanitary  toilet  conditions, 
inadequate  washroom  facilities,  dangerous  conditions  around  the 
plant,  poor  drinking  water,  inadequate  tools,  work  that  is  too  .heavy ; 
work  that  is  dangerous  to  health,  inadequate  protection  from  weather, 
or  where  the  employee  is  exposed  too  much  to  bad  weather  conditions. 

Columns  18,  19,  20  are  left  blank  for  entering  reasons  for  resigna- 
tion peculiar  to  the  concern  or  for  other  special  reasons. 

"Reason  Unascertained"  (21)  will  cover  those  who  are  auto- 
matically dropped  for  prolonged  absence,  where  there  was  no  inter- 


FORM   OF   RECORDING   LABOR  TURNOVER 


413 


LABOR  STABILITY  REPORT 

Plant  Summary 

Month,, 


Name  of  Firm.. 


Total  Number  of  Employees  let  of  month   . 
'*       "         "       end  of       " 

Net  Increase  or  Decrease  •        • 
Labor  Turnover    . 
Turnover  previous  month 


..  Female 
.or 


ENTRANCES 

1  — Empl< 

2r- Re-employed 


Male        Female 


Percent 


TRANSFERS 

I— Promoted 
2— Another  trial 


TERMINATIONS 

1  —  Resignations  (voluntary) 

2 — Discharges  .,        . 

3-Uy-ofls 

4— Unavoidable        * 


Male        Female 


Total, 


EXPLANATION 

LABOR  TURNOVER  is  the  condition  in  industry  represented  by  the  engagement,  loss,  and  replacement  of 
workers.  It  represents  the  leakage  or  waste  of  man  power  and  is  a  fair  index  of  the  efficiency  of  management 
methods  and  conditions  of  employment. 

FORMULA  FOR  COMPUTING  LABOR  TURNOVER 

T  =  Turnover;  A  =  Average* number  actually  at  work  daily  for  period  computed;  L=Losa;  M  — Trans- 
fers from  department  to  department;  U  — Unavoidable  losses  (death,  disease,  etc.) 


For  the  Plant           L—  (M+U)    _ 
A 
For  a  Department  t_L—  U_? 

WHEN  INCREASING  THE  FORCE  =  Snb  tract  the  Ii 
the  amount  of  loss  or  value  of  L.    Then  use  the  to 
WHEN  DECREASING  THE  FORCE  —  Add  the  numb 
period  to  obtain  the  number  leaving  or  value  of  L 

The  following  formula  la  recommended  br  U.  8.  Deoi.  of  Labor 
and  National  Lmplorment  Managers'  {onieltnoe.  Kocbeater. 
N.  T..  19V&. 

T"T 

icrease  from  the  number  hired  during  the  period.  This  will  give 
nmila. 
er  represented  by  the  decrease  to  the  number  hired  during  the 
Then  u«e  the  formula. 

•Tb« 

average  ihould  be  obtained  br  adding  tbe  dailr  totals  of  worker,  implored  and  dl'idlnc  the  mult  br  the  number  of  • 
average,  br  taktn«  tbe  dallr  toUli  of  worker,  eraplojed  and  diridlof  br  the  number  of  weeks.    To  obtain  the  annual 
the  monthlr  figure  br  12.  or  (be  weeklr  Ben  re  br  M. 

srs 

dw,: 

tumo 

vei 

we«k 

ultic 

5 

Figure  28.     (a)  Form  for  Recording  Labor  Turnover  (first  page) 
(Size85/i«xioV4.) 


414 


APPENDIX 


O  It  It  deairvd  to  obta  n  a  dally  turnover  record  for  a  particu 
o«ed  to  advantage  after  writing  in  the  dates  of  the  month  in  the 

ar  department  this  sheet  can  b* 

SSsSLS^Sr.                                                   LABOR  TURNOVE 

\  B 

ENTRANCES 

DKHARTMENT 

RB-EMPLOYED 

TERMINATIONS 

10          11         12 

13         14         15         16         17         18         19         20           21 

| 

C 

§ 

• 

1 

I 

• 

i 

5 
2 

UNSKILLED 

1 

1 

I 

1 

ft 

? 

1 

UNSKILLED 

1 

!I 
11 

il 

!i 

il 

| 

l! 

— 

TOTALS 

PER  CENT 

NOTE:    *« 

Srfrt  I'M'^MKiJi'or'oM.**01'  divl>i011  IDW  **                                                                                                                                   All  ri«ht»  reserved.  Dute)  Bloom«eli  ' 

Figure  28.     (b)  Form  for  Recording  Labor  Turnover  (second  page) 


FORM   OF   RECORDING   LABOR   TURNOVER 


415 


DEPARTMENTS 
TERMINATIONS                                                              „.  .     _,.....    ,9 

DISCHARGES 

LAID  OFF 

UNAVOIDABLE 

TJtAfSrfKS 

TOTALS 

1 

I 

2 

EE 

II 

I 
1 

I 

s 

S 

1 

1 

S 

ii 

1 

I 

1 

a 

ANOTHER  TKIAL 

| 

> 
I 

±1 

y 

I 

| 

JBetoon  St..  BoMnn.  Mus.                                                                                                                                                                           CopiM  of  thlt  blank  m»j  be  nbuined  from  tb«  utbor. 

Figure  28,     (c)  Form  for  Recording  Labor  Turnover  (third  page) 


416 


APPENDIX 


TERMINATIONS 

TURNOVER  ACCORDING  TO  PERIOI 

TOTAL 

Employed  2  weeks  or  let*        .       »       .-        =  -•• 
"        2-4  weeks   .        .'       ,       .         -—  
••       1—3  months         .'       .       .         =  
•'»       8—  6  months'        .       ..      -.         =  
"       6—  9  months         ..       ,       .         «=  
'•'       9—12  months        ,       .       .-       «=.  -.—-  

)  OF  SERVICE 

i.  ••     «• 

—  *:  : 

**'       2  —  8  yean            •                         ^~i- 

^..    - 

"       8—  4  y*an            ^       .        <•        =»-  -  
•M       4—6  yean            .       ,.                ™-  
"       6     10  yean                                   = 

*  <•    <» 

"      10—16  yean            .       ,       .         =^  —  

-—'*••  - 

TURNOVER  BY  NATIONALITIES 

TOTAL 

American          .  •       -       .                                                                  «.  «        •** 

English                .                 ,        .         .        t 

*  "    ° 

Italian          '      < 

-*••  - 

Polish                 !                                                  t                                       -a  

French        .'                .,'...          

Austrian     

-*••  •• 

EMPLOYMENT  MANAGES 

Figure  28.     (d)  Form  for  Recording  Labor  Turnover  (fourth  page) 


FORM  OF  RECORDING  LABOR  TURNOVER  41? 

view  with  the  employee,  where  the  employee  refused  to  give  a  reason 
for  leaving,  where  it  was  not  possible  to  ascertain  the  reason. 

"Incompetent"  (22)  includes  those  who  are  discharged  owing  to 
inexperience,  because  they  are  slow  workers,  for  poor  work,  or  for 
lack  of  knowledge  of  the  work  for  which  they  were  engaged. 

"Careless"  (23)  covers  discharges  for  laziness,  for  disregard  of 
safety  regulations,  for  lack  of  interest  in  the  work,  for  unreliability. 

"Frequent  Absence"  (24)  and  "Lateness"  (25)  need  no  explana- 
tion. 

"Misconduct"  (26)  includes  discharges  for  being  under  the  in- 
fluence of  liquor,  causing  discontent  and  unnecessary  trouble,  viola- 
tion of  company  rules,  destruction  of  company  property,  fighting  on 
the  company  premises,  and  other  like  causes. 

"Insubordinate"  (27)  includes  refusal  to  obey  orders,  use  of  im- 
proper language  to  superiors,  disloyalty  to  superiors  and  the  company. 

Computing  Labor  Turnover 

Now  in  using  such  a  form,  or  a  form  of  any  sort,  the 
next  step  will  be  the  question  of  what  formula  to  adopt  in 
arriving  at  the  percentage  of  labor  turnover.  And  here  we 
enter  the  field  of  controversy.  In  the  definition  of  labor  turn- 
over adopted  by  the  United  States  Bureau  of  Labor  Statistics, 
and  the  National  Employment  Managers'  Association  at  their 
convention  in  Rochester,  New  York,  May,  1918,  it  was  agreed 
that  "labor  turnover  for  any  period  consists  of  the  number 
of  separations  from  service  during  that  period/'  and  that, 
"separations"  include  all  "quits,  discharges,  and  lay-offs  for 
any  reason  whatsoever."  The  method  advanced  for  comput- 
ing the  percentage  of  labor  turnover  for  any  period  is  to 
"find  the  total  separations  for  the  period  considered  and  divide 
by  the  average  of  the  number  actually  working  each  day 
throughout  the  period.  Then  multiply  by  the  proper  factor 
to  reduce  to  a  yearly  basis." 

The  following  example  is  given  to  illustrate  this: 
If  the  number  employed  by  a  plant  or  department  of  a 
plant  decreases  because  it  is  the  deliberate  policy  of  the  plant 


418  APPENDIX 

management  to  reduce  permanently  its  working  force,  this 
fact  should  be  explicitly  stated  and  the  reasons  for  the  reduc- 
tion in  force  given. 

METHOD  OF  COMPUTING  PERCENTAGE  OF  LALJR  TURNOVER 
FOR  ONE  WEEK 

Daily  force  reports  (workers  actually  on  the  job)  : 

Monday   1,020 

Tuesday    1,065 

Wednesday  1,070 

Thursday 1,035 

Friday    1,040 

Saturday   990 

Total  Number  of  Separations  During  Week 300 

Average  for  Week 1,037 

Percentage  labor  turnover    300 

=1,504  per  cent 

1*037 

This  is  the  method  of  computing  the  percentage  of  labor 
turnover  in  general  use  by  employment  managers  throughout 
the  country.  There  are,  however,  some  slight  variations,  such 
as  the  following:  A  good  many  firms  do  not  use  the  figure 
for  "the  average  of  the  number  actually  working  each  day" 
but  use  the  average  of  the  number  on  the  pay-roll  each  day, 
on  the  theory  that  those  on  the  pay-roll  (if  the  latter  is 
kept  free  from  names  of  workers  whose  employment  has 
terminated)  are  an  actual  expense  to  the  concern  whether 
they  are  absent  temporarily  or  not;  and  that  a  figure  based 
on  daily  attendance  would  often  be  miskading.  Another  varia- 
tion is  with  reference  to  the  use  of  "separations"  rather  than 
"replacements"  as  a  basis  of  determining  the  turnover  per- 
centage. When  the  matter  is  one  of  increasing  the  force  of 
workers  it  is  generally  agreed  that  the  number  of  "separations" 


FORM   OF   RECORDING   LABOR   TURNOVER  4J9 

or  those  terminated  from  employment,  will  constitute  the 
labor  turnover.  But  when  the  working  force  is  being  de- 
creased, it  is  claimed  by  some  that  the  number  of  workers 
newly  hired  should  be  the  determining  factor  rather  than  the 
number  of  terminated  workers,  and  that  if  a  concern  decreases 
its  force  without  hiring  new  men  there  is  no  turnover  as  such. 
Few  will  agree  with  this  view. 

METHOD  OF  COMPUTING  PERCENTAGE  OF  LABOR  TURNOVER 

FOR  ONE  YEAR 

(Assuming  that  records  of  daily  attendance  are  averaged  for 

each  month) 

January    : 2,250 

February   2,170 

March   2,230 

April   2,400 

May 2,040 

June    2,100 

July    2,000 

August  1,980 

September  » 2,200 

October 2,220 

November   2,280 

December    2,240 

Total  number  of  separations  during  year 5,020 

Average  for  year  2,176 

Average  number  working  each  month  as  determined  from  the 
force  reports  or  daily  attendance  records: 

5,020 
Percentage  labor  turnover, =231  per  cent 

A  Practical  Formula 

It  would  seem  then  that,  until  some  better  method  is 
evolved,  the  most  practical  formula  for  arriving  at  the  per- 
centage of  labor  turnover  of  a  plant  would  be  the  following : 


420  APPENDIX 

The  values  are: 

L=Losses  or  the  number  of  workers  terminated 
A=  Average  number  on  the  pay-roll  for  the  period 

to  be  computed 
T—  Percentage  of  labor  turnover 

In  other  words,  the  figure  representing  the  number  of 
employees  terminated  should  be  divided  by  the  figure  repre- 
senting the  average  number  on  the  pay-roll  for  the  period, 
whether  that  period  is  a  week,  a  month,  or  a  year. 

When  it  is  desired  to  obtain  the  turnover  percentage  for 
a  given  month,  one  should  add  the  figures  on  the  pay-roll 
for  each  day  and  divide  the  total  by  the  number  of  working 
days  in  that  month.  This  will  give  the  value  of  A  for  use  in 
the  formula.  Where  it  is  inconvenient  to  obtain  the  number 
of  workers  on  the  pay-roll  each  day,  the  figures  On  the  pay- 
roll each  week  should  be  added  up,  and  the  result  divided 
by  the  number  of  weeks  in  that  particular  month. 

The  above-mentioned  formula  includes  terminations  for 
any  reason  ;  but  in  the  opinion  of  tfrfe  author  the  final  turnover 
figure  should  be  analyzed  to  show  what  proportion  of  the 
turnover  percentage  is  owing  to  unavoidable  causes,  such  as 
death,  serious  illness,  accident,  or  other  causes  beyond  the 
control  of  the  management.  Better  still,  the  figure  represent- 
ing unavoidable  losses  should  be  deducted  from  the  value  of 
L  before  using  the  formula  so  that  if  U  represents  unavoidable 
terminations  our  formula  would  read: 


If  this  were  done,  the  turnover  figure  would  be  a  more 
accurate  index  of  losses  in  man-power. 


APPENDIX  B 

ESTIMATING  EMPLOYMENT  COSTS— CLASSIFICA- 
TION OF  PERSONS  EMPLOYED1 

How  Some  Estimates  of  Costs  Are  Made 

Realizing  the  importance  of  arriving  at  some  general  under- 
standing of  the  costs  involved  in  the  turnover  of  labor,  the 
author  recently  conducted  a  symposium  on  the  subject.2  One 
of  the  contributions  to  this  symposium,  made  by  Dr.  William 
A.  Sawyer  of  the  American  Pulley  Company,  offers  some 
suggestions  of  value.  Starting  with  the  assumption  that  in 
the  particular  business  under  discussion,  three  months  gives 
the  average  man  ample  time  to  reach  full  productiveness,  Dr. 
Sawyer  divides  his  costs  to  cover  four  general  groups,  namely: 

1.  Those  who  remain  for  a  period  of  less  than  three 

weeks. 

2.  Those  who  remain  for  a  period  between  three  weeks 

and  three  months. 

3.  Those  remaining  for  a  period  over  three  months. 

4.  Those  engaged  but  not  reporting. 

Employees  are  then  subdivided  into  general  groups  cover- 
ing the  class  of  labor  employed  and  costs  determined  as 
follows : 

Group  i.  Those  Remaining  Less  Than  Three  Weeks 

New  employees  during  this  period  are  figured  to  cost  a 


1  See  Chapter  I 

2  See    Industrial    Management,    March,     1919,    pages    239-245,    reprinted    in    the 
author's    "Handbook   on    Employment   Management,"    H.    W.    Wilson    Company,    New 
York. 

421 


422  APPENDIX 

proportion  of  the  daily  wage  of  one  other  employee  who 
spends  time  in  instructing  him.  This  figure,  though  arbitrary, 
is  based  on  the  best  estimate  that  can  be  made  of  the  earnings 
of  the  employee  whose  time  is  consumed.  "To  this  is  added 
an  estimated  figure  representing  the  reduced  productiveness 
of  the  new  employee  over  what  is  normal  for  the  older 
employees  in  the  department."  The  sum  of  these  two  figures 
is  classed  as  lost  productive  labor  and  to  it  is  added  the  average 
overhead.  The  total  represents  the  estimated  cost  a  day. 

The  figures  of  the  company  show  that  the  average  employee 
who  leaves  within  three  weeks  from  the  time  he  was  started, 
works  eight  days,  hence  the  cost  for  the  three-week  period  is 
eight  times  the  daily  estimate.  An  example  in  the  case  of 
press  hands  is  given: 

New  man  consumes  directly  a  proportion  of  another 

man's  time  daily  estimated  at $  .75 

Reduced  speed  of  production  for  new  man .75 


Lost  productive  labor   $1.50 

Estimated  overhead  on  productive  labor 1.50 


Total  (daily)   $3.00 

Group  2.  Those    Remaining    from    Three    Weeks    to    Three 
Months 

In  this  group  it  is  generally  found  that  while  the  produc- 
tiveness of  an  employee  increases,  the  percentage  of  improve- 
ment varies  with  the  particular  group  to  which  he  is  assigned. 
The  method  here  is  to  "multiply  the  daily  cost  by  16^2  (three 
weeks  of  y/z  days  per  week)  to  ascertain  the  cost  at  the 
end  of  three  weeks,  and  to  this  add  the  daily  cost  (now  reduced 
owing  to  increased  skill  on  part  of  new  worker)  for  the  rest 
of  the  period  during  which  the  worker  remains.  The  total 
represents  the  estimated  cost  for  the  period." 


ESTIMATING   EMPLOYMENT   COSTS  423 

Group  3.  Those  Remaining   Over  Three  Months 

For  those  who  remain  over  three  months,  the  above  out- 
lined plan  is  followed,  adding  to  the  full  cost  for  three  months 
the  estimated  cost  for  the  average  additional  period. 

Group  4.  Those  Engaged  but  Not  Reporting 

In  this  case  Dr.  Sawyer  estimates  the  delay  to  cost  the 
company  a  figure  represented  by  the  overhead  on  the  amount 
the  worker  would  receive  for  one  day's  productive  labor; 
where  labor  is  non-productive,  the  figure  would  be  represented 
by  one  day's  wages  of  the  individual. 

This  method  of  arriving  at  the  approximate  costs  of  the 
shifting  of  personnel  is  an  attempt  in  the  right  direction. 
What  is  important  is  to  be  sure  of  the  factors  that  enter  into 
the  problem.  When  the  person  who  has  charge  of  personnel 
has  these  factors  clearly  in  mind,  he  will  find  that  a  con- 
ference with  one  of  the  members  of  the  auditing  or  accounting 
department  of  the  concern  will  clear  the  path  towards  some 
simple  method  of  estimating  the  costs  regularly.  Nothing 
dramatizes  the  evils  of  reckless  employment  methods,  whether 
in  a  particular  department  of  a  concern  or  in  the  entire  estab- 
lishment, so  much  as  the  results  expressed  in  dollars  and  cents. 
Percentages  mean  little ;  but  translate  a  condition  in  terms  of 
cash  and  the  significance  is  clearly  evident. 

Standard  cost  accounting  methods  have  yet  to  be  applied 
to  the  technique  of  employment  management;  but  the  da)) 
is  not  far  off  when  some  uniform  procedure  will  be  the  general 
practice  in  all  progressive  business  and  industrial  enterprises. 
In  the  meantime  all  possible  sources  of  loss  must  be  checked 
up  and  effort  made  through  such  activities  as  are  described 
in  this  book,  to  promote  the  stability  of  the  working  force. 
Such  effort  requires  the  best  thought  of  management,  and, 
to  be  successful,  must  manifest  itself  in  action  that  indicates 
a  sincere  desire  to  give  the  worker  a  square  deal. 


APPENDIX  C 

SANITARY  STANDARDS  FOR  FACTORIES  AND 

SHOPS1 

ADOPTED  BY  THE  COMMITTEE  ON   SHOP  AND  INDUSTRIAL 
SANITATION  OF  THE  COUNCIL  OF  NATIONAL  DEFENSE 

Dr.  Geo.  M.  Price,  Chairman  of  Subcommittee2 

[These  sanitary  standards  are  applicable  only  to  factories  and  shops  where  the  workers 
do  not  handle  industrial  poisons,  it  being  understood  that  special  provisions  for 
such  processes  and  workers  are  to  be  made  under  other  standards.] 

I — DRINKING  WATER 

1.  General  Provision 

There  shall  be  provided  in  every  factory  for  the  use  of  employees 
a  sufficient  supply  of  wholesome,  cool,  drinking  water. 

2.  Location 

Drinking-water  facilities  should  be  provided  on  every  floor  of 
factory  buildings  in  accessible  places. 

3.  Fountains 

Wherever  practicable  drinking  water  should  be  provided  through 
bubble  fountains  or  inverted  spigots,  so  constructed  that  a  person 
may  drink  from  the  stream  or  jet  of  water  without  touching  his 
lips  or  mouth  to  the  metal  part  of  the  fountain. 

4.  Receptacles 

Whenever  drinking  water  is  placed  in  receptacles  these  shall  be 
constructed  of  metal  or  glazed  earthenware  and  provided  with  cocks 
and  spouts  and  properly  covered  so  as  to  prevent  contamination ;  also 
cleaned  at  frequent  intervals. 


^ee  Chapter  XII. 

2  Approved    by   the    advisory    committee    of  the    National   Tuberculosis   Association 
as  shop  standards  for  tuberculous  workers. 

424 


SANITARY   STANDARDS   FOR  FACTORIES 

5.  Drinking  Cups 

No  common  drinking  cups  or  glasses  should  be  permitted.    Paper 
cups  or  individual  glasses  should  be  used. 


II — WASHING  FACILITIES 

1.  General  Provision 

In  every  factory  there  shall  be  provided  and  maintained  for  use 
of  the  employee  suitable  and  convenient  washing  facilities,  separate 
for  each  sex,  provided  with  running  water  and  consisting  of  single 
or  trough  sinks  without  plugs,  or  stationary  basins,  of  a  material 
easily  cleansable  and  maintained  in  good  condition. 

2.  Location 

Washing  facilities  shall  be  conveniently  located  in  accessible 
places. 

3.  Number 

There  shall  be  provided  at  least  one  sink  or  stationary  basin  with 
hot  and  cold  water,  for  every  10  employees,  or  at  least  2  feet  of 
trough  sinks  for  every  10  employees,  or  a  perforated  pipe  with  a 
continuous  flow. 

4.  Floors 

The  floors  under  the  basins  and  sinks  shall  be  kept  in  good  repair 
and  in  good  condition. 

5.  Towels 

The  use  of  roller  towels  or  any  towel  in  common  is  prohibited. 
Paper  or  individual  towels  should  be  used. 

6.  Receptacles  for  Soiled  Towels 

Whenever  paper  towels  are  provided,  receptacles  for  such  towels 
shall  be  provided. 

Ill— TOILET  FACILITIES 

i.  General  Provisions  • 

Toilet  facilities  shall  be  provided  in  accordance  with  the  following 
standards : 


426  APPENDIX 

2.  Apartment 

(a)  Location.  All  toilets  shall  be  located  conveniently  to  and 
easily  accessible  from,  all  places  where  persons  are  employed. 

(&)  Separation.  Toilet  rooms  for  each  sex  shall  be  maintained 
separate  and  apart  from  each  other  and  from  all  workrooms  and 
passageways.  Such  rooms  shall  be  marked  so  as  to  designate  plainly 
and  distinctly  for  which  sex  they  are  intended. 

(c)  Screening.    If  the  water-closet 's  not  located  within  a  separate 
screened  compartment  in  the  toilet  room,  the  entrance  to  all  toilet 
rooms  shall  be  provided  with  a  screen  to  insure  privacy.    This  screen 
shall  be  at  least  6  feet  in  height,  and  shall  extend  to  within  at  least 
4  feet  of  the  floor,  and,  if  the  space  permits,  shall  be  not  less  than 
2  feet  wider  than  the  door  leading  into  such  toilet  room. 

(d)  Distance.    All  toilet  rooms  not  having  sewer  connections  and 
maintained  outside  of  buildings,  where  people  are  employed,  shall 
be  at  least  25  feet  from  such  buildings,  and  in  all  factories  where 
the  workers  are  exposed  to  excessive  heat,  humidity,  or  fatigue  from 
physical  exertion,  there  shall  be  a  covered  passageway  connecting 
said  building  with  toilet  or  toilets. 

(e)  Construction.    The  outside  partitions  of  all  toilet  rooms  shall 
be  of  solid  construction,  and  made  opaque  or  translucent,  but  not 
transparent,  and  shall  extend  from  floor  to  ceiling,  or  such  rooms 
shall  be  independently  ceiled  over.     All  partitions  separating  toilet 
rooms  provided  for  the  different  sexes  shall  be  at  least  2  inches  in 
thickness  and  constructed  of  such  materials  as  are  not  transparent 
or  translucent,  and  they  shall  be  sound  proof  and  no  openings  in 
such  partitions  shall  be  permitted.     Where  more  than  one  water- 
closet  is  provided  in  one  toilet  room  each  water-closet  shall  be  in 
a  separate  compartment  provided  with  a  door.     The  partitions  and 
the  door  shall  be  composed  of  material  that  is  opaque  or  translucent, 
but  not  transparent.     The  tops  of  the  doors  and  of  the  partitions 
shall  be  carried  either  to  the  ceiling  or  to  a  height  of  7  feet  from 
the  floor;  the  bottoms  of  the  doors  and  the  partitions  shall  not  be 
more  than  4  inches  from  the  floor. 

(/)  Floors.  The  floors  of  all  toilet  rooms  shall  be  tight,  smooth, 
and  constructed  of  a  substance  that  shall  be  impervious  to  moisture. 

(g)  Walls.  The  walls  of  all  toilet  rooms  shall  be  tight  and  of 
a  substance  that  cart  be  readily  cleaned  and  kept  clean. 

(/&)  Ceilings.  The  ceilings  of  all  toilet  rooms  shall  be  tight  and 
of  a  substance  that  can  be  readily  cleaned  and  kept  clean. 


SANITARY   STANDARDS   FOR  FACTORIES 

(i)  Light.  All  toilet  rooms  and  water-closet  compartments  shall 
be  adequately  illuminated  by  natural  or  artificial  light. 

(;')  Ventilation.  All  toilet  rooms  not  lighted  by  windows  that 
open  easily  shall  be  adequately  ventilated  to  the  outside  air  by  artificial 
means.  Every  water-closet  compartment  entirely  separated  from  the 
remainder  of  the  toilet  room  by  partitions  extending  from  the  floor 
to  the  ceiling  and  not  provided  with  a  window  opening  easily  shall 
be  adequately  ventilated  to  the  outside  air  by  artificial  means. 

Every  toilet  room  or  every  water-closet  or  urinal  compartment 
shall  have  a  window  opening  directly  to  the  outside  air.  No  such 
window  shall  be  less  than;  i  foot  wide  nor  have  an  area  of  less 
than  6  square  feet,  measured  between  stop  heads,  for  one  water- 
closet  or  urinal.  For  every  additional  such  fixture  the  area  of  such 
window  shall  be  increased  at  least  i  square  foot.  A  skylight  shall 
be  deemed  the  equivalent  of  a  window,  provided  that  it  has  fixed 
or  movable  louvers  with  openings  of  the  not  openable  area  prescribed 
for  such  window. 

Every  such  window  shall  be  open  upon  a  street  or  upon  a  yard 
or  open  space,  uncovered  at  the  top,  which  in  its  least  horizontal 
dimension  shall  be  at  least  one-tenth  the  height  of  the  highest 
abutting  wall,  but  in  no  case  less  than  6  feet. 

(k)  Heating.  All  toilet  rooms  and  water-closet  compartments 
shall  be  adequately  heated  at  all  times. 

(/)  Cleanliness.  The  occupier  shall  be  responsible  for  the  main- 
tenance of  all  toilet  rooms  or  water-closet  compartments  in  a  clean 
and  sanitary  condition. 

3.  Fixtures 

(o)  Kind.  The  use  of  any  form  of  trough  water-closet  or  latrine 
or  school  sink  is  prohibited;  individual  closets  shall  be  provided. 
The  bowls  of  all  water-closets  shall  be  smooth,  impervious  material. 
Pan,  plunger,  wash-out,  faucet,  and  long  hopper  closets  are  not 
permissible.  The  seat  shall  be  finished  with  a  smooth,  impervious, 
waterproof  substance. 

(&)  Connections.  The  disposal  of  all  contents  of  toilets  and 
urinals  shall  be  in  accordance  with  the  laws,  rules,  and  regulations 
of  the  state  and  municipal  health  authorities  of  the  locality  in  which 
they  exist. 

Privies  shall  not  be  permitted  except  in  cases  outside  of  the 
sewer  zone,  and  where  cesspool  or  septic  tank  can  not  be  used  privies 


428 


APPENDIX 


not  connected  with  the  sewerage  system  shall  be  built  in  accordance 
with  the  standards  recommended  by  the  United  States  Public  Health 
Service. 

Provisions  shall  be  made  for  the  adequate  flushing  of  every  water- 
closet. 

(c)  Number  and  ratio.  Water-closets  shall  be  provided  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  following  table: 


Number  of  Persons 

Number  of 
Closets 

i  to    20  

i 

21  tO      4O    

41  to    60       

2 
7 

61  to    80  

4 

81  to  100  
101  to  150  

5 
6 

For  each  additional  30  persons,  at  least  one  additional  water-closet 
shall  be  provided. 

4.  Urinals 

(a)  Kind.     Urinals   provided   shall   be   either   individual   urinals 
or  slab  urinals.    At  least  2  feet  of  slab  urinal  shall  be  considered  the 
equivalent  of  one  individual  urinal. 

(b)  Construction.    Urinals  shall  be  composed  of  smooth  material 
impervious  to  moisture. 

(c)  Connections.     All  urinals  shall  be  connected  by  waste  pipes 
to  sewers  or  cesspools,  which  sewers  or  cesspools  shall  be  constructed 
in  accordance  with  the  laws,  rules,  and  regulations  of  the  State  and 
municipal  health  authorities  of  the  locality  in  which  they  exist. 

Unless  water  runs  continuously  over  the  walls  of  the  urinal  each 
urinal  shall  be  provided  with  an  adequate  water  flush.  When  in- 
dividual tanks  are  used,  the  flushing  shall  be  accomplished  by  pedal 
action. 

(d)  Number  and  ratio.    Where  more  than  10  males  are  employed 
at  any  one  time,  urinals  shall  be  supplied  according  to  the  following 
table: 


SANITARY   STANDARDS   FOR   FACTORIES 


429 


Number  of  Men 

Number  of 
Urinals 

Or  Feet  of 
Slab 
Urinal 

10  to  50  

i 

2 

31  to  60 

2 

For  each  additional  50  men  employed  at  least  one  additional  urinal 
or  2  additional  feet  of  slab  urinal  shall  be  supplied. 

The  above  standards  shall  apply  in  all  cases  except  where  federal, 
state,  or  municipal  laws,  rules,  or  regulations  of  more  restrictive 
character  are  applicable;  in  such  instances,  the  more  restrictive  laws, 
rules,  or  regulations  shall  apply. 


APPENDIX  D 
PLAN  FOR  SHOP  SAFETY  ORGANIZATION1 

Following  is  the  plan  for  shop  safety  organizations,  worked  out 
by  the  Bureau  of  Statistics  and  Information  of  the  State  Industrial 
Commission  (New  York). 

INTRODUCTION 
VALUE  OF  SHOP  SAFETY  ORGANIZATION 

The  indispensable  function  of  accident  prevention  and  main- 
tenance of  cleanliness  and  orderliness  is  carried  on  haphazardly  in 
most  manufacturing  plants.  Instead  of  centralizing  the  work  in  the 
care  of  one  person,  it  is  generally  divided  up  and  parts  are  added 
to  the  other  duties  of  several  of  the  managerial  staff.  As  the  man- 
agement and  its  subordinates  are  mostly  preoccupied  with  the  more 
pressing  responsibilities  of  production  and  marketing,  shop  safety, 
sanitation,  and  health  usually  receive  but  incidental  and  unsystematic 
attention.  Even  where  the  management  assigns  a  person  to  supervise 
this  work,  its  failure  to  realize  the  significance  of  this  phase  of 
shop  management  often  leads  it  to  choose  one  who  can  be  spared 
rather  than  one  best  qualified  for  this  highly  important  task.  Yet 
these  matters  vitally  affect  the  compensation  insurance  premium  as 
well  as  plant  output.  Practical  business  men,  who  have  resorted 
to  this  form  of  shop  activity,  testify  enthusiastically  that  a  safe  and 
sanitary  shop  not  only  means  fewer  accidents  but  a  more  efficient 
working  force.  Since  it  is  good  business  to  prevent  accidents  and 
maintain  orderliness  and'  cleanliness  in  the  factory,  supervision  of 
the  work  is  assigned  to  a  competent  person,  who  can  give  to  it 
whatever  time  is  required  in  accordance  with  the  size  of  the  working 
force  and  the  hazard  of  the  industry. 

Notwithstanding  that  a  large  percentage  of  the  accidents  can 
be  prevented  only  by  the  good-will  and  co-operation  of  the  employees, 
the  average  employer  has  done  little  to  enlist  their  aid.  He  relies 
upon  safeguards  alone,  whereas,  a  cursory  study  of  his  accickat 

430 


PLAN   FOR   SHOP   SAFETY   ORGANIZATION  431 

records  would  indicate  that  a  large  proportion  of  accidents  cannot 
be  prevented  by  them.  Those  employers  who  are  aware  of  this  fact 
arrive  at  the  hasty  conclusion  that  the  worker  is  "careless."  This 
opinion,  if  voiced  publicly,  instead  of  imbuing  the  workers  with 
cautiousness  and  a  desire  to  co-operate  with  the  management  actually 
stirs  up  "bad  blood."  Very  few  employees  are  deliberately  careless. 
The  ordinary  employee  generally  subjects  himself  and  fellow-workers 
to  danger  because  it  has  not  occurred  to  him  that  he  is  going  about 
his  work  in  an  unsafe  manner.  The  same  can  be  said  with  reference 
to  maintaining  cleanliness  and  orderliness  in  the  shop.  The  remedy 
is  to  educate  and  interest  the  worker  in  "safe  and  sanitary  practices." 
But  signs  and  posters  alone  are  inadequate.  Success  in  such  matters 
can  best  be  attained  with  the  co-operation  of  the  employees.  Hearty 
co-operation  has  been  secured  in  those  plants  where  the  workers 
have  been  made  responsible  for  their  share  of  plant  accident  preven- 
tion and  maintenance  of  cleanliness  and  orderliness.  To  interest  the 
workers,  they  must  be  given  definite  responsibilities  and  duties. 
Human  beings  learn  by  doing  and  sharing  in  responsibilities. 
Wherever  this  principle  has  been  adopted  and  properly  applied  the 
workers  have  responded  most  enthusiastically. 

Manufacturers  who  have  a  cohesive  shop  safety,  sanitation  and 
health  organization,  guided  by  a  competent  person,  point  to  the 
following  as  some  of  the  more  obvious  benefits  of  such  an  organiza- 
tion: 

It  relieves  the  management  and  its  subordinates  from  attending 
to  the  numerous  details  connected  with  maintaining  orderliness,  clean- 
liness, and  safety  in  the  shop. 

It  provides  a  medium  through  which  these  matters,  so  vital  to 
the  successful  and  economical  operation  of  the  plant,  will  receive 
the  consideration  they  merit  without  encroaching  upon  the  time 
required  for  other  business  problems. 

It  enlists  the  co-operation  of  all  employees  from  the  superintendent 
to  the  rank  and  file  worker  by  introducing  collective  responsibility. 

It  furnishes  a  means  of  interesting  the  rank  and  file  whose  co- 
operation is  absolutely  necessary  in  the  successful  conduct  of  a  shop 
safety  sanitation  and  health  organization. 

It  systematizes  the  work  so  that  maximum  results  ensue  from 
the  time  devoted  to  this  phase  of  shop  activity.  Nothing  is  more 
wasteful  and  ineffective  than  haphazard  methods. 

It  provides  a  check  on  the  efficiency  of  safety  work. 


432  APPENDIX 

It  makes  possible  the  accumulation  and  exchange  of  knowledge 
and  experience  in  shop  safety,  sanitation,  and  health  work. 

It  makes  possible  the  creation  and  perpetuation  of  an  enthusiasm 
and  "safety  first"  spirit  without  which  the  best  intentions  are  but 
vain  dreams. 

PART  I 

PURPOSE  AND  ORGANIZATION 
Purpose 

Prevention  of  accidents  and  the  promotion  of  the  general  good 
order,  hygiene,  and  sanitation  of  a  manufacturing  plant  can  be  most 
successfully  accomplished  when  there  is  a  hearty  co-operation  between 
the  management  and  its  employees.  It  is  to  their  mutual  interest 
to  work  harmoniously  in  such  matters.  While  the  company  loses 
financially  whenever  an  accident  occurs  or  a  worker  is  obliged  to 
lay  off  because  of  sickness,  the  employee  is  the  greater  sufferer 
in  such  cases.  He  must  bear  the  pain,  and,  regardless  of  the  amount 
of  financial  compensation  awarded  to  an  employee,  it  does  not  equal 
his  earnings. 

With  this  consideration  in  view  a  shop  safety,  sanitation  and 
health  organization  is  instituted  to  establish  standards  for  the  reason- 
able and  adequate  protection  of  the  lives,  health,  and  safety  of  all 
persons  employed  by  the  (insert  name  of  firm). 

The  (insert  name  of  firm)  and  those  in  its  employ  obligate 
themselves  to  maintain  such  standards  to  the  best  of  their  ability 
and  to  the  full  extent  of  their  power. 

Organization 

The  shop  safety,  sanitation  and  health  organization  shall  consist 
of  the  following  divisions:  Executives'  committee,  foremen's  com- 
mittee, workers'  committee,  and  safety  supervisor. 

Executives'  Committee 

This  committee  shall  be  composed  of  at  least  three  persons  from 
the  executive  authorities  representing  the  general  management  and 
operating  or  production  branch  of  the  plant. 

The  functions  of  this  committee  shall  be  as  follows: 
i.  Have  general  charge 'of  and  supervision  over  all  matters  affecl- 
ing  the  safety  and  health  of  the  employees. 


PLAN   FOR   SHOP   SAFETY   ORGANIZATION  433 

2.  Pass  upon  reports  and  recommendations  made  by  the  foremen's 
and  workers'  committees,  and  the  safety  supervisor. 

3.  Pass  upon  general  plans  for  the  conduct  of  accident  prevention 
and  health  conservation  work. 

4.  Review  comparative  data  as  to  accident  frequency  and  severity 
in  the  plant. 

5.  This  division  shall  (should)   furnish  satisfactory  reason  to  the 
other  divisions  whenever  it  vetoes  or  modifies  recommendations  sub- 
mitted for  its  consideration. 

6.  This  division  shall   (should)   submit  new  policies  or  proposed 
deviations  from  established  policies  to  the  consideration  of  the  other 
divisions  comprising  this  organisation. 

7.  This   division   may   delegate    as   much   of   its   authority   as   it 
chooses   to   other   divisions   comprising   this   organization,    provided 
due  notice  of  such  action  shall  be  given  in  writing  to  all  divisions. 

8.  This  division  shall  meet  at  least  quarterly.     (Monthly  meetings 
are  preferred  by  many.) 

Foremen's  Committee 

This  committee  shall  be  composed  of  not  less  than  five  foremen 
and  subforemen  (in  some  plants  membership  of  all  foremen  is  con- 
sidered desirable)  chosen  as  follows: 

(a)  By  the  executives'  committee,  or 

(b)  By  the  foremen  and  subforemen 

This  division  shall  choose  its  chairman  from  among  its  member- 
ship. 

Rotation  in  membership  by  periodic  changes  in  personnel  may 
be  provided  for. 

The  functions  of  this  committee  shall  b^  as  follows: 

1.  Make  quarterly  inspections   for  the  purpose  of  standardizing 
the  safety,  sanitation,  and  health  work  throughout  the  plant.     (In 
some  plants  monthly  inspections  are  considered  desirable.) 

2.  So  far  as  possible  investigate  at  time  of  occurrence  all  serious 
accidents  and  report  thereon. 

3.  Discuss   accidents   or  near   accidents    in   the  pfant,   determine 
responsibility  and  attempt  to  devise  means  of  preventing  recurrence. 

4.  Consider  ways  and  means  of  furthering  safety,  sanitation,  and 
health  work  in  the  plant. 


434  APPENDIX 

5.  Formulate  rules  for  instructing  workers  in  "safe  and  sanitary 
practices." 

6.  Consider  communications  from  executives'  committee. 

7.  Consider  recommendations  and  reports  of  the  workers'  com- 
mittee. 

8.  Consider  recommendations  and  reports  of  the  safety  supervisor. 

9.  Receive  reports  from  individual  committee  members  on  personal 
activity    in   the    furthering   of    shop    safety,   sanitation,    and    health 
work. 

10.  Receive    information    from    safety    supervisor   on    accidents, 
sanitation,  and  health. 

11.  This  divison  shall  meet  at  least  once  a  month. 

Workers'  Committee 

This  committee  shall  be  composed  of  not  less  than  five  wage 
workers  from  the  rank  and  file  of  the  employees  and  representing 
the  major  departments  or  occupations.  (Workers  holding  a  position 
of  even  minor  authority,  such  as  "working  boss,"  or  "subforeman," 
are  not  eligible  to  serve  on  this  committee.) 

Members  of  this  committee  may  be  chosen  according  to  any  of 
the  following  methods: 

i.  The  wage  workers  of  each  department  or  occupation  to  elect 
their  representative  (this  method  of  choosing  the  workers'  com- 
mittee is  the  best  means  of  securing  the  right  co-operation),  or 

2.  The  executives'  committee  to  elect  the  initial  workers'  com- 
mittee, and  the  wage  workers  of  each  department  or  occupation  to 
fill  future  vacancies  by  election,  or 

3.  The  executives'  committee  to  select  the  initial  workers'  com- 
mittee, and  the  members  of  the  latter  body  to  designate  from  time 
to  time  their  successors,  or 

4.  By  the  executives'  committee,  upon  consultation  with  the  fore- 
men. 

Rotation  in  membership  by  periodic  changes  in  personnel  may 
be  provided  for. 

This  division  shall  choose  its  chairman  from  among  its  member- 
ship. 

The  division  may  upon  occasion  invite  the  executives  or  foremen 
to  its  meetings. 

Members  of  this  division  doing  piece,  task,  bonus,  or  premium 
work  shall  be  compensated  on  the  basis  of  their  average  hourly 


PLAN   FOR   SHOP   SAFETY   ORGANIZATION  435 

earnings  when  attending  committee  meetings  or  making  inspections 
during  working  hours.  Members  paid  by  the  hour,  day,  or  week 
shall  receive  the  usual  pay  while  attending  committee  meetings  or 
making  inspections  during  working  hours. 

Members  of  this  division  shall  be  compensated  on  the  basis  of 
the  regular  rate  of  pay  when  attending  committee  meetings  or  making 
inspections  outside  of  working  hours. 

The  functions  of  this  committee  shall  be  as  follows: 

1.  Make  at  least  monthly    (preferably   semimonthly)    inspections 
of  the  plant — collectively  where  practicable.    If  this  is  not  practicable 
individual   committee   members   may    inspec     the   departments    they 
represent,  or  that  portion  of  the  plant  most  familiar  to  them.     At 
least  a  quarterly  inspection  of  the  whole  plant  shall  be  made  col- 
lectively by  the  committee.     A  report  of  every  inspection  should  be 
prepared  and  signed  by  the  entire  committee. 

2.  So  far  as  possible  investigate  at  time  of  occurrence  all  serious 
accidents  and  report  thereon. 

3.  Discuss   accidents  or  near   accidents   in  the  plant;   determine 
responsibility    and    attempt    to    devise    means    of    preventing    recur- 
rence. 

4.  Consider  ways  and  means  of  improving  safety,  sanitation,  and 
health  conditions  in  the  plant. 

5.  Make  recommendations  for  elimination  of  unsafe  and  unsanitary 
conditions  in  the  plant. 

6.  Consider  communications  from  the  executives'  committee. 

7.  Consider  recommendations  and  reports  of  the  foremen's  com- 
mittee. 

8.  Consider  recommendations  and  reports  of  the  safety  supervisor. 

9.  Consider  recommendations  and  reports  of  individual  committee 
members,  or  any  other  wage  workers. 

10.  Receive  reports  from  individual  committee  members  on  per- 
sonal activity  in  furthering  "safety  first"  ideas  among  fellow  workers. 

11.  Receive  information  from  safety  supervisor  on  accidents,  sani- 
tation, and  health. 

12.  This  division  shall  meet  at  least  monthly   (preferably  semi- 
monthly). 

The  duties  of  individual  members  of  this  committee  shall  be  as 
follows : 

i.  Committee  members  shall  interest  fellow  workers  in  the  "safety 
first"  idea. 


436  APPENDIX 

2.  Committee   members   shall   caution    fellow   workers   whenever 
they  resort  to  unsafe  and  unsanitary  practices. 

3.  Committee  members  shall  present  safety,  sanitation,  and  health 
suggestions  of  fellow  workers  to  the  workers'  committee  for  action. 

Safety  Supervisor 

The  safety  supervisor  shall  be  appointed  by  and  be  responsible 
to  the  management.  (The  management  should  authorize  the  safety 
supervisor  to  expend  reasonable  sums  of  money  in  furtherance  of 
the  safety  sanitation  and  health  work,  and  to  give  orders  necessary 
to  the  carrying  out  of  his  duties,  his  actions  to  be  reviewable  only 
by  the  general  manager  or  general  superintendent.  His  standing 
should  be  at  least  equal  to  that  of  head  of  a  department  or  foreman, 
and  in  large  plants  he  should  receive  clerical  and  other  assistance 
necessary  to  relieve  him  from  the  routine  work.) 

The  duties  of  the  safety  supervisor  shall  include  the  following: 

Inspection  and  Investigation 

1.  Become    thoroughly    familiar   with    the    structural    and    other 
physical  conditions  of  the  buildings,  and  the  layout  of  the  equipment 
and  premises. 

2.  With  a  view  to  eliminating  unsafe,  unsanitary,  and  unhealthful 
conditions  inspect  plant  constantly  for: 

(a)  Need  of  safeguards. 

(b)  Maintenance  of  old  guards,  general  order  and  cleanliness. 

(c)  Arrangement  of  materials,  tools,  and  equipment 

(d)  Lighting,  ventilation,  and  physical  condition  of  buildings. 

(e)  Conditions  on  premises. 

3.  Look  after  fire  conditions,  extinguishers,  filling  of  fire  pails, 
keeping  exits  clear  and  exit  signs  in  good  condition. 

4.  See  that  first  aid  equipment  is  properly  stocked  and  kept  in 
proper  place. 

5.  See  that  approved  recommendations  are  carried  out  and  report 
thereon  to  respective  committees. 

6.  Investigate  all  accidents  or  near  accidents,  fix  responsibility, 
and  make  recommendations  to  prevent  their  possible  recurrence. 

7.  See  that  drawings  and  specifications  for  new  machinery  cover 
guarding  of  hazardous  parts,  and  inspect  new  machinery  before  it 


PLAN   FOR   SHOP   SAFETY   ORGANIZATION  437 

is  permanently  installed  to   see  that  the  necessary  safeguards  have 
been  provided. 

8.  See  that  drawings  and  specifications  for  alterations,  extensions, 
and  additions  to  plant  have  proper  safety,  sanitation,  and  health 
provisions. 

Supervision 

1.  Administer  first  aid,  or  supervise  those  assigned  to  administer  it. 

2.  Keep  in  touch  with  injured  persons  requiring  medical  treatment 
while  at  work,  as  well  as  with  those  whose  injuries  necessitate  their 
absence  from  work. 

Information  and  Education 

1.  Keep  himself  informed  of  latest  developments  in  the  "safety 
first"   movement  through  literature,   attending  conferences,  conven- 
tions, lectures,  exhibits,  visting  other  plants,  and  so  on. 

2.  Maintain  "safety  first"  library  for  reference  and  use  of  every 
one  in  the  plant. 

3.  Supply  committee  members,  foremen,  and  rank  and  file  wage 
workers  with  readable  "safety"  literature. 

4.  Make  brief  reports  at  committee  meetings  on  topics  of  interest 
appearing  in   current  "safety"  literature,   or  which  have  otherwise 
come  to  his  attention. 

5.  Report  at  committee  meetings  on  activities  of  other  divisions 
of  this  organization. 

6.  Supervise  and  conduct   educational  work  on   safety,   hygiene, 
and  sanitation  through  committees,  bulletins,  lectures,  etc. 

7.  Stimulate    interest   in    safety,    sanitation,    and   hygiene   among 
foremen  and  rank  and  file  wage  workers  through  personal  contact. 

8.  Prepare,  post,  and  maintain  danger  signs,  bulletins,  and  bulletin 
boards. 

9.  Co-operate  with  foremen  concerned  in  giving  advice  and  in- 
struction to  new  employees  as  well  as  with  old  employees  who  do 
not  fully  understand  the  safe  method  of  performing  their  work. 

10.  Caution  backward  employees  against  unsafe  and  unsanitary 
practices. 

Records  and  Accident  Statistics 

i.  Keep  records  and  statistics  of  accidents  and  sickness,  and 
make  monthly  and  special  comparative  reports  to  the  executives' 


43**  APPENDIX 

committee.     Copies  of  such  reports  are  also  to  be  furnished  the 
other  committees. 

2.  Attend  all  regular  or  special  meetings  of  all  committees,  and 
act  as  secretary  and  custodian  of  minutes  and  other  records. 

3.  Supply  copies  of  reports  and  recommendations  of  each  division 
to  the  other  divisions  for  their  consideration. 

4.  Act  as  intermediary  for  the  various  divisions. 

PART  II 
SPECIAL  RULES  GOVERNING  ORGANIZATION  AND  EMPLOYEES 

Joint  Meetings 

1.  Regular   joint   meetings   of   the   shop    safety,    sanitation   and 
health  organization  should  be  held  at  least  quarterly  to  consider: 

(a)  Preventive  ideas. 

(b)  Suggestions  for  general  safety,  sanitation  and  health. 

(c)  Special  recommendations  made  by  any  division  involving  an 

unusually  large  expenditure. 

(d)  Means   of  safeguarding  new  machinery   or   equipment,  OU 

new  additions  to  plant. 

2.  Special  joint  meetings  of  the  shop  safety,  sanitation  and  health 
organization    should   be    called    by    the   safety    supervisor   promptly 
after  the  occurrence  of  a  serious  accident  of  exceptional  character 
in  order  to  fix  responsibility  and  consider  measures  to  prevent  its 
recurrence. 

3.  Special  joint  meetings  of  the  shop  safety,  sanitation,  and  health 
organization  should  be  called  by  the  safety  supervisor  whenever  all 
divisions    cannot    agree    on    recommendations,    deviations    from    all 
policies,  or  proposed  new  policies. 

4.  Either  committee  may  at  any  time  call  a  special  joint  meeting 
to  consider  matters  of  vital  importance. 

Amendments 

i.  Amendments  to  the  shop  safety,  sanitation  and  health  organiza- 
tion plan  may  be  initiated  by  any  of  the  divisions  composing  the 
organization,  provided  they  shall  become  effective, 

(a)  After    submission   to    the    foremen's   committee,    and   when 


PLAN  FOR   SHOP   SAFETY   ORGANIZATION  439 

favorably  passed   upon  by  the   executives'   and  workers' 
committees  (this  is  the  most  desirable  method),  or 

(b)  After  consideration  and  report  by  the  foremen's  and  workers' 

committees,  and  approval  by  the  executives'  committee,  or 

(c)  When  favorably  passed  upon  by  the  executives',  foremen's  and 

workers'  committees. 

2.  Agreeable  to  the  executives'  and  workers'  committees,  amend- 
ments to  the  shop   safety,   sanitation   and  health  organization  plan 
that  would  alter  it  materially  may  be  submitted  to  a  vote  of  the 
rank  and  file  of  the  wage  workers,  provided  the  amendments  are 
first  submitted  to  the   foremen's   committee   for   consideration   and 
report. 

3.  Amendments  to  the  shop   safety,   sanitation   and  health   rules 
may  be  initiated  by  any  of  the  divisions  composing  this  organization, 
provided  they  shall  become  enforceable, 

(a)  After  submission  to  the  foremen's  committee,  and  when  favor- 

ably passed  upon  by   the   executives'   and  workers'   com- 
mittees (this  is  the  most  desirable  method),  or 

(b)  After  consideration  and  report  by  the  foremen's  and  workers' 

committees,  and  approval  by  the  executives'  committee,  or 

(c)  When  favorably  passed  upon  by  the  executives',  foremen's 

and  workers'  committees. 

VIOLATIONS  OF  SHOP  RULES 

I.  Penalties  for  violations  by  wage  workers  of  shop  safety,  sanita- 
tion and  health  rules  may  be  imposed. 

(a)  By  the  workers'  committee,  subject  to  approval  by  the  fore- 

men's and  executives'  committees    (this  is  the  most  de- 
sirable method),  or 

(b)  By  the  safety  supervisor,  subject  to  approval  by  the  execu- 

tives', foremen's  and  workers'  committees,  or 

(c)  By  the  safety  supervisor,  subject  to  approval  by  the  general 

manager,  or 

r(d)  By  the  foreman,  subject  to  approval  by  the  general  superin- 
tendent. 

Foremen's  Duties 

i.  Foremen  and  sub  foremen  are  morally  bound  to  give  special 
and  constant  attention  to  the  proper  instruction  and  observation  of 


440  APPENDIX 

new  employees  so  as  to  protect  them  against  accidents.  Old  employees 
when  placed  on  new  work  should  also  be  instructed  as  to  the  hazards 
of  that  work. 

2.  Foremen  and  subforemen  should  study  and  guard  against  con- 
ditions and  practices  in  the  plant  that  are  apt  to  endanger  the  life, 
limb,  and  health  of  the  workers. 

Workers'  Duties 

1.  Each  employee  should  regard  himself  in  honor  bound  to  co- 
operate with  the  management  to  reduce  accidents  and  to  maintain 
orderliness  and  cleanliness  in  the  plant  by  observing  the  shop  safety, 
sanitation  and  health  rules. 

2.  The  employees  of  this  plant  regard  it  a  reflection  upon  their 
honor  for  an  injured  worker  to  feign  incapacity  to  work,  or  attempt 
to  artificially  prolong  such  incapacity. 


PART  III 

RULES  FOR   GUIDANCE  OF   MEMBERS   ON   FOREMEN'S  AND  WORKERS' 
COMMITTEES,  AND  THE  SAFETY  SUPERVISOR 

How  to  Inspect 

1.  In  making  inspections  the  one  question  which  should  be  asked 
is:    Can  an  accident  occur?     Not:    Has  an  accident  occurred  at  this 
particular  point? 

2.  Remember,  it  has  been  conclusively  demonstrated  that  prac- 
tically every  point  of  danger  around  machinery  or  the  buildings  can 
be  sufficiently  guarded  without  interfering  with  the  work. 

3.  Follow  the   oiler.     Remember   he   must   oil   every   bearing   in 
the  shop.     Visit  each  bearing  and  satisfy  yourself  on  one  question: 
Can  the  oiler  reach  it  in  safety?    If  not,  correction  should  be  made 
at  once. 

4.  Make  it  a  point  to  inspect  out-of-the-way  places  as  well  as 
more  obvious  hazards.    It  is  surprising  how  many  persons  are  injured 
in  places  where  it  has  been  said,  "Nobody  ever  goes." 

5.  Conditions   in  yards   and   on   roadways   and   passageways   are 
always    changing.      They    should    be    frequently    inspected    to    find 
dangerous  piles,  defective  floors,  protruding  nails  and  objects  over 
which  a  man  may  stumble  and  fall. 


PLAN   FOR   SHOP   SAFETY   ORGANIZATION  441 

Look  Out  for  Unsafe  Practices  and  Conditions 

1.  Keep  a  sharp  lookout  for  all  kinds  of  unsafe  practices  and 
conditions.     Remember  a  large  proportion  of  accidents  are  directly 
attributable  to  ignorance  of  the  safe  way  of  doing  the  work,  or 
unsafe  plant  conditions  not  easily  detected. 

2.  A  good  guard  out  of  place  is  a  poor  guard.     See  that  guards 
are    kept    in    use.      Particularly    watch    adjustable    guards   on    such 
machines  as  saws,  joiners,  shapers,  emery  wheels,  and  punch  presses. 

3.  Watch  for  loose  sleeves,  flapping  blouses,  and  flying  neckties 
— anything  which  may  get  caught  in  the  machinery  and*  draw  the 
man  or  woman  in. 

4.  Bear  in  mind  that  the  following  are  among  the  main  causes 
of  accidents: 

The  manner  in  which  a  worker  handles  himself  or  performs 

his  work. 
Fall  of  workers  from  elevations;  into  openings;  or  on  level  by 

slipping,  stumbling,  etc. 
Falling  objects  from  elevations  or  on  level  because  improperly 

piled,  stacked,  etc. 
Handling  of  tools  or  objects. 

5.  Try  to  detect  slight  cuts,  scratches,  bruises,  and  burns  which 
are  not  being  properly  cared   for.     They  may  cause  infection  and 
blood  poisoning.     Remember  that  the  great  majority  of  all  infections 
are  the  direct  result  of  neglecting  small  injuries. 

Guarding  of  Machinery 

1.  Become  familiar  with  all  the  requirements  of  the  Labor  Law 
and  Industrial  Code  as  to  guarding  of  machinery  and  see  that  none 
of  these  are  overlooked.     For  information  as  to  these  requirements, 
write   to   the    Bureau   of   Inspection,    State   Industrial    Commission, 
Capitol,  Albany,  N.  Y.,  or  230  Fifth  avenue,  New  York  City. 

2.  Become   familiar  also  with  the  safety  standards  of  the  Com- 
pensation Inspection  Rating  Board,   135  William  street,  New  York 
City.    This  is  a  semiofficial  body  in  which  all  compensation  insurance 
carriers   are   represented.     The   "Hand   Book  of   Industrial   Safety 
Standards,"  issued  by  this  board,  and  which  will  be  furnished  free 
upon   request,   reflects   the   requirements  of  compensation   insurance 
carriers  with  reference  to  guarding  of  machinery. 


442  APPENDIX 

What  to  Study — Machinery  and  Plant  Layout 

1.  Study  the  present  arrangement  and  guarding  of  machinery  and 
suggest  better  safety  appliances  to  prevent  accidents. 

2.  Study  the  general  layout  of  the  plant  with  a  view  to  detecting 
faulty  .engineering: 

(a)  In  construction  of  the  buildings 

(b)  In  installation  of  the  equipment 

(c)  In  the  arrangement  of  the  premises 

Often  serious  accidents  are  charged  to  these  defects. 

3.  Study  the  present  method  of  storing  and  handling  of  materials 
and  objects,   and  help  prevent   unsafe   conditions   and  practices  by 
watching  daily  and  suggesting  better  methods.     Also  help  prevent 
overloading  of  floors. 

4.  Study  how  to  reduce  unnecessary  sounds,  vibrations,  and  noises. 

5.  Study  the  best  kind  of  clothing  to  be  worn  to  guard  against 
danger. 

Lighting,  Ventilation,  and  Sanitation 

1.  Study  the  present  lighting  arrangements.     Help  eliminate  all 
dark  and  unsafe  spots  by  suggesting  a  better  arrangement,  so  that 
all  parts  of  the  factory  may  be  properly  and  adequately  lighted. 

2.  Study  the  present  ventilating  system  and  suggest  possible  im- 
provements. 

3.  Study  how  to  keep  workrooms,  washrooms,  and  toilet  rooms 
clean  and  sanitary  and  free  from  obscene  pictures  and  writing. 

4.  Study  and  suggest  methods  of  guarding  against  diseases. 

5.  See  that  the  supply  of  drinking  water  is  always  kept  clean  and 
pure  and  that  the  pipes,  etc.,  are  in  working  order. 

6.  Help  prevent  the  accumulation  of  waste  materials  and  rubbish. 

Fire  Hazards 

1.  Study  the  best  methods  to   guard  against  and   minimize   fire 
hazards. 

2.  Discourage  smoking  in  prohibited  places  and  urge  the  use  of 
safety  matches. 

Report  Blanks 

In  order  to  properly  record  and  preserve  the  findings  and  recom- 
mendations  of   the   safety   supervisor   and   the   workers'   committee, 


PLAN   FOR   SHOP   SAFETY   ORGANIZATION  443 

uniform  report  blanks  should  be  supplied  for  this  purpose.  Nothing 
is  more  convincing  of  the  importance  and  seriousness  of  the  duties 
of  this  kind  of  an  organization  than  systematic  maintenance  of 
records.  Supplying  the  blanks  in  pad  form  would  make  them  handier 
for  use  when  on  an  inspection  tour. 

Compensation  insurance  carriers  furnish  blanks  for  reports  of 
safety  organizations  in  plants  of  their  policyholders.  Aside  from 
these  the  following  are  suggested  as  forms  which  are  proving  highly 
satisfactory  to  a  firm  with  plants  distributed  throughout  the  state 
of  New  York  and  the  United  States.  They  have  been  modified  to 
meet  the  general  needs  of  most  medium  and  large-sized  manufacturing 
plants : 


Name  of  firm 


Regular  Report  of  Workers*  Committee 

Date  of  Report ,  192. . .     Date  of  last  report ,  192. . . 

A. — The  following  departments  have  been  inspected  since  last  report: 

B. — The  following  unsafe  practices  in  our  opinion  exist  (give  loca- 
tion) : 

C. — The  following  unsafe  conditions  were  found  (this  refers  to 
conditions,  not  individuals)  : 

D. — The  following  recommendations  are  made  (use  back  of  report 
or  attach  letter  if  necessary)  : 

Date  of  last  meeting  of  committee,   ,  192. . 

Chairman   

Members    

Copy  of  this  report  delivered  to  executives'  committee, 


Name  of  firm  

Regular  Report  of  Safety  Supervisor 

Date   ,  192..     Date  of  previous  report  ,  192.. 

Inspections  since  last  report   include   following  departments: 


A. — Defects  including  lack  of  or  improper  guards  and  location  of 

same: 

B. — Wrong  conditions  are  as  follows: 
C. — Unsafe  or  dangerous  practices  are  as  follows: 


444  APPENDIX 

D. — Defects,  wrong  conditions,  unsafe  or  dangerous  practices  reported 
which  have  been  corrected: 

E. — Items  previously  reported  which  have  not  been  corrected,  be- 
cause of: 

F. — Recommendations  (use  back  of  report  or  attach  letter  when 
necessary)  : 

Copy   of  this   report  delivered  to   executives'   committee. 


Supervisor. 

Copy  of  last  workers'  committee  report,  dated ,  192. . 

Date  of  last  meeting  of  workers'  committee ,  192. . 

Date  of  last  meeting  of  foremen's  committee ,  192. . 

PART  IV 
SHOP    SAFETY,    SANITATION,    AND    HEALTH    RULES 

Statement 

Only  a  certain  proportion  of  the  accidents  occurring  daily  can 
be  prevented  by  mechanical  safeguards.  Many  accidents  not  pre- 
ventable by  safeguards  are  caused  by  "unsafe  practices,"  that  is,  by 
the  worker  performing  his  work  or  conducting  himself  in  the  shop 
so  as  to  subject  others  or  himself  to  danger.  Similarly,  many  of 
the  problems  of  shop  sanitation  and  hygiene  which  vitally  affect 
the  comfort  and  health  of  the  worker  cannot  be  solved  by  mechanical 
devices. 

This  statement  is  not  intended  to  absolve  the  employer  from 
responsibility  in  such  matters,  nor  to  charge  the  employee  with 
deliberate,  unsafe  practices  or  neglect  of  shop  sanitation  and  hygiene. 
These  dangerous  and  unwholesome  methods  are  practiced  because 
neither  the  worker  nor  employer  realize  that  they  often  result  dis- 
astrously— frequently  to  innocent  fellow-workers.  The  following 
rules  are,  therefore,  intended  to  call  attention  to  the  most  common, 
unsafe,  and  unhygienic  practices.  By  a  strict  observance  of  these 
rules  it  should  be  possible  to  practically  eliminate  the  accidents  and 
discomforts  due  to  unsafe  and  unhygienic  practices. 

Employees  should  also  be  on  guard  against  other  less  common 
unsafe  and  unhygienic  practices  that  might  lead  to  serious  conse- 
quences. 


PLAN   FOR   SHOP   SAFETY   ORGANIZATION  445 

Remember:  A  careful  man  is  the  best  safeguard. 

1.  Be  cautious  and  alert  at  all  times,  and  under  all  circumstances. 

2.  Conduct  yourself  at  all  times  in  an  orderly  and  careful  manner. 
Scuffling,    playful    wrestling,    or    any    other    kind    of    horse   play    is 
dangerous. 

3.  Never  disregard  a  warning  sign. 

4.  Do  not  go  across  dangerous  places,  nor  through  them,  merely 
to  save  a  few  steps  or  a  few  seconds  of  time. 

5.  Be  careful  in  going  up  or  down  stairs. 

6.  Do  not  throw  articles  of  any  kind  out  of  windows. 

7.  Do  not  spit  upon  the  floors,  passageways,  walks,  or  in  corners. 

8.  Never  fail  to  use  a  safeguard  provided,  and  under  no  condition 
remove  a  safeguard  unless  you  are  authorized  to  do  so. 

9.  Never  repair  or  clean  machinery  when  in  motion. 

10.  Do  not  wear  loose  or  torn  clothing,  loose  neckties,  dangling 
sleeves,  aprons,  gloves,  loose  suspender  straps,  unbuttoned  jumpers, 
or   pants   with   cuffs    when   working    around    the    moving   parts   of 
machinery. 

11.  Goggles   must  be  worn   in   all   operations  by  workers  doing 
any  work  where  there  is  danger  of  flying  particles,  such  as  chipping 
of  concrete  or  any  kind  of  metals,  handling  of  molten  metal,  using 
unprotected  grinding  wheels,  etc. 

12.  Never    use    an    elevator    without   permission    from    those    in 
authority.    Never  attempt  to  step  or  jump  on  or  off  a  moving  elevator. 

13.  Examine  all   tools  before  using  them.     'No  tools   should  be 
used,  or  issued,  having  "burred"  or  "mushroom"  heads,  defective  or 
loose  handles. 

14.  Tools,  appliances,  materials,  or  equipment  must  not  be  left 
in  aisles  or  passageways. 

15.  Broken,  weak,  or  rickety  ladders  should  never  be  used.     Lad- 
ders should  always  rest  upon  a  level  surface,  and  special  care  should 
be   taken  so   as   to  prevent  them   from   slipping  at  the   foot  or  at 
the  top. 

1 6.  In  piling  up  materials,  be  careful  to  stow  them  so  that  they 
cannot  fall  over.     Also  guard  against  the  overloading  of  floors  or 
or  racks. 

17.  If  a  nail  is  protruding  from  a  board,  knock  it  down  or  bend 
it  over. 

1 8.  Washrooms  and  toilet  rooms  must  always  be  kept  clean  and 
sanitary. 


APPENDIX 

19.  Maintain  your  self-respect  and  that  of  your  fellow- workers 
by  neither  drawing  obscene  pictures  nor  writing  obscene  matter  on 
walls,  doors,  etc.     If  you  do  not  practice  such  indecencies,  do  not 
countenance  them  from  others. 

20.  Never  play  or  tamper  with  any  fire  fighting  apparatus.     If 
it  is  not  ready  for  use  when  needed,  it  may  contribute  to  serious 
injury  to  yourself  or  fellow-workers. 

21.  It  is  the  duty  of  every  employee  to  report  every  unsafe  or 
dangerous  condition  or  practice  he  sees  either  to  his  foreman,  repre- 
sentative on  the  safety  committee,  or  safety  supervisor. 

22.  Call  attention  of  your  foreman  when  there  is  insufficient  light 
about  machinery  or  passageways. 

23.  Call  attention  of  your  foreman  to  any  lack  of  proper  ventila- 
tion. 

24.  If  you  are  injured,  no  matter  how  slightly,  report  it  to  your 
foreman  at  once. 

25.  Be  careful  in  everything  you  do.    Take  no  chances.    Remember 
that   small   neglects   and   oversights   often   cause   serious    accidents. 
Warn  other  men  when  you  see  them  in  danger,  and  try  to  get  them 
to  do  things  in  a  safe  way.     Look  out  for  new  workers  and  see 
that  they  do  not  meet  with  accidents,  nor  expose  others  to  danger. 
Talk  freely  about  safety  with  other  employees,  and  remember  that 
safety  and  sanitation  suggestions  are  always  welcome. 

26.  Watch  carefully   for  new  rules  that  may  be  adopted  from 
time  to  time. 

PART  V 
SAFETY  LITERATURE  AND  INFORMATION 

The  movement  for  prevention  of  accidents  and  conservation  of 
health  of  wage  workers,  like  all  human  movements,  depends  for 
its  success  on  the  proper  mental  attitude  of  those  affected  by  it. 
This  fact  assumes  greater  significance  in  this  phase  of  industrial 
betterment,  since  the  best  results  are  attained  only  when  mechanical 
safeguards  and  devices  are  supplemented  by  the  good-will  and  hearty 
co-operation  of  the  personnel  connected  with  the  plant.  Current 
literature  treating  all  phases  of  this  movement  is  indispensable.  The 
proper  psychology  cannot  be  maintained  without  constant  contact 
with  the  movement.  The  safety  supervisor  can  hardly  be  expected 


PLAN   FOR   SHOP   SAFETY   ORGANIZATION  447 

to  imbue  others  with  the  "safety  first"  idea  unless  he  has  a  continuous 
source  of  inspiration  which  will  stimulate  his  intellect  and  emotions. 
A  minimum  of  literature  required  to  successfully  keep  alive  the 
"safety  first"  spirit  is  listed  below: 

Government  Publications 

1.  Have  Bureau  of  Statistics  and  Information  of  the  New  York 
State  Industrial  Commission,  Capitol,  Albany,  place  firm  on  permanent 
mailing  list  for 

(a)  Proceedings  of  the  Annual  State  Industrial  Safety  Congress. 

(b)  Monthly  Bulletin. 

(c)  Bulletin  No.  77,  and  other  literature  issued  from  time  to 

time  on  safety,  sanitation,  health,  and  general  employee 
relations  problems. 

2.  Request  United  States  Bureau  of  Labor  Statistics,  Washington, 
D.  C.,  to  place  name  of  firm  on  permanent  mailing  list  for  Monthly 
Labor  Review.    For  current  literature  dealing  with  safety,  sanitation, 
health  and  general  employee  relation  problems,  consult  "Publications 
Relating  to  Labor"  in  each  issue  of  the  Review.    Publications  issued 
by  the  U.  S.  Bureau  of  Labor  Statistics  will  be  mailed  free  upon 
request,  if  still  in  print. 

3.  Request  Surgeon  General,  United  States  Public  Health  Service, 
Washington,  D.  C.,  to  place  name  of  firm  on  permanent  mailing  list 
for  reprints  from  weekly  Public  Health  Reports  and  supplements  on 
the  health  of  industrial  workers. 

Additional  Literature  and  Bibliographic  Information 

1.  The   State  Industrial   Commission   also  places  the  Bureau  of 
Statistics  and  Information,  Capitol,  Albany,  at  the  service  of  anyone 
interested   in   any   safety,   sanitation,   health,   and   general    employee 
relations  problems  literature  through  loan  of  printed  matter  from  its 
library  or  through  bibliographic  information. 

2.  There   are  a   few   periodicals  published  which  give   attention 
to  material  on  industrial  safety  and  are  designed  for  both  technical 
and  popular  reading.,    Upon  specific  request  the  Bureau  of  Statistics 
and  Information  will  gladly  supply  the  names  of  such  periodicals 
as  will  meet  the  needs  of  the  individual  firms  for  use  of  the  foremen, 
workers  and  safety  supervisor. 


APPENDIX 

Co-operative  Safety  Associations 

1.  The   American    Museum   of    Safety,    14  West   Twenty-fourth 
street,  New  York  City,  renders  service  to  engineers,  inspectors,  and 
industrial  firms.    It  has  maintained  for  a  number  of  years  a  permanent 
exhibit  of  approved  safety  and  sanitary  appliances.     The  museum's 
resources  include  an  inquiry  and  research  service,  a  highly  specialized 
library,  inspection  service,  lectures,  and  traveling  exhibits  illustrating 
various  phases  of  accident  prevention  and  health  conservation,  as  well 
as  a  monthly  bulletin,  Safety,  a  technical  non-commercial  publication, 
free  to  members.     To  non-members  the  subscription  price  of  the 
bulletin  is  $i  per  year. 

2.  The  National  Safety  Council,  208  La  Salle  St.,  Chicago,  111., 
renders  a  safety  service  which  consists  of  a  weekly  bulletin  service, 
special  publications  and  a  consultation  safety  service.     Membership 
dues  are  based  on  the  nature  of  service  rendered  and  the  number  of 
employees  on  the  pay-roll. 

PART  VI 
APPENDICES 

Announcement  of  the  Plan  for  Shop  Safety  Organization 

The  imperativeness  of  giving  proper  publicity  to  the  new  organiza- 
tion cannot  be  overemphasized.  Unless  the  rank  and  file  workers 
know  that  such  an  organization  is  in  existence,  are  fairly  conversant 
with  its  purpose,  and  feel  that  it  has  the  management's  unqualified 
approval,  it  will  be  difficult  to  secure  their  co-operation.  Indeed 
there  is  danger  that  the  whole  undertaking  may  turn  out  to  be  a 
farce.  The  most  effective  method  of  publicity  is  to  call  a  mass  meeting 
of  the  workers,  wherever  possible,  at  which  the  purpose  of  the 
organization  and  its  functions  should  be  explained  by  someone  high 
in  authority.  Should  this  not  be  practicable,  a  printed  announcement 
is  a  fair  substitute.  (Manufacturers  will  find  it  worth  while  to  use 
both  methods.) 

The  following  statement,  signed  by  the  firm,  is  suggested  as  a 
sample  for  a  poster  or  dodger  to  be  distributed  or  inserted  in  the 
pay  envelope  when  the  organization  is  launched.  The  membership 
of  the  workers'  committee  and  the  occupation  or  department  that 
each  member  represents  might  be  incorporated  in  the  statement: 


PLAN   FOR   SHOP   SAFETY  ORGANIZATION  449 

Announcing  the  Formation  of  a  Safety,  Sanitation  and  Health 
Organization  of  the 


(Insert  firm  name.) 

The  (insert  firm  name)  has  always  been  solicitous  for  the  com- 
fort and  safety  of  its  employees.  In  pursuance  of  this  policy  it  has 
done  everything  practicable  to  safeguard  the  life,  limb,  and  health 
of  the  workers.  The  New  York  State  Industrial  Commission  has 
brought  to  our  attention  a  method  of  systematizing  plant  safety, 
sanitation,  and  health  work  so  that  it  will  be  placed  on  as  business- 
like a  basis  as  any  other  phase  of  plant  management.  The  plan 
which  they  recommend  is  being  used  by  many  progressive  manufac- 
turing firms  in  the  state,  and  is  bringing  excellent  results.  Its  chief 
merit  is  that  it  enlists  the  mutual  co-operation  of  everyone  in  the 
plant,  from  the  superintendent  to  the  rank  and  file  worker.  We 
particularly  appeal  to  the  rank  and  file  workers  in  our  plant  to  assist 
us  in  this  worthy  endeavor.  You  spend  the  best  part  of  each  day 
in  the  plant,  and  some  unsafe  and  unsanitary  conditions  and  practices 
come  to  your  attention  that  we  may  overlook.  We  want  to  remedy 
these  shortcomings  and  invite  suggestions  from  everyone. 

The  organization  will  consist  of  three  committees — one  repre- 
senting the  management,  one  the  foremen  and  one  the  workers 
in  the  plant.  (Indicate  here  how  the  workers'  committee  will  be 
chosen,  and,  if  possible,  the  members  of  the  first  committee,  also 
give  the  name  of  the  safety  supervisor.) 

The  workers'  committee  has  been  chosen  to  work  for  you.  The 
duty  of  this  committee  is  to  study  ways  of  protecting  you,  of 
promoting  your  comfort  and  safeguarding  your  health  while  you  are 
in  this  building.  In  some  cases  changes  suggested  by  this  committee 
have  to  do  with  machines  or  equipment.  In  other  cases  the  com- 
mittee finds  that  certain  practices  among  the  people  in  the  various 
departments  are  not  for  the  best  interests  of  all.  If  through  thought- 
lessness or  ignorance  anyone  in  the  building  is  doing  something  that 
endangers  your  health  or  safety  or  comfort,  it  is  the  duty  of  the 
committee  to  see  that  this  practice  is  stopped.  If  the  committee  fails 
to  do  this,  they  fail  to  protect  your  interests. 

In  other  words,  the  committee  points  out  certain  unsafe  and  un- 
sanitary practices  and  conditions  that  endanger  you,  and  recommends 
certain  improvements  that  should  be  made  in  your  interest.  Don't 


45°  APPENDIX 

, 
you  think  that  the  committee  in  their  work  for  you  should  have  your 

help  and  co-operation? 

Promotion  of  Safety  Sentiment 

If  the  shop  safety,  sanitation  and  health  organization  plan  is 
issued  in  pamphlet  form,  space  on  the  cover  or  elsewhere  might 
be  used  for  brief  matter  to  promote  the  safety  sentiment.  The  follow- 
ing is  an  example  of  such  matter  found  in  safety  literature: 

The  "Safety  First"  Ideal 

"And  the  end  is  that  the  workman  shall  live  to  enjoy  the  fruits 
of  his  labor;  that  his  mother  shall  have  the  comfort  of  his  arm 
in  her  age;  that  his  wife  shall  not  be  untimely  a  widow;  that  his 
children  shall  have  a  father;  and  that  cripples  and  hopeless  wrecks 
who  were  once  strong  men,  shall  no  longer  be  a  by-product  of  in- 
dustry/'—P.  B.  JUHNKE. 


APPENDIX  E 
TERMS  OF  APPRENTICESHIP  AGREEMENT1 

1.  Applicants  for  apprenticeship  must  be  not  less  than  sixteen 
years  of  age.     They  must  be  physically  sound,  of  good  moral  char- 
acter, and  have  received  an  education  equivalent  to  that  required 
for  graduation  from  the  public  grammar  school  or  better. 

2.  Application  must  be  made  in  person.    If  accepted,  the  applicant's 
name  will  be  registered  and  due  notice  will  be  given  when  he  will 
be  required  to  commence  work. 

3.  The  first  576  hours  shall  constitute  a  term  of  trial.     If  the 
apprentice  shall  during  this  period  prove  satisfactory  and  shall  before 
the  expiration  thereof  execute  together  with  some  other  responsible 
party  an  agreement  in  the  form  hereto  annexed,  then  his  apprentice- 
ship shall  date  from  the  beginning  of  the  term  of  trial  and  shall 
continue  for  the  full  term  unless  sooner  terminated,  as  hereinafter 
stated. 

4.  During  his  training  the  apprentice  will  be  loaned  the  necessary 
shop  tools  and  classroom  materials.     At  graduation  the  set  of  shop 
tools  shall  thereupon  become  the  property  of  the  apprentice. 

5.  Apprentices  will  be  required  to  serve  for  a  term  of  four  years, 
each  to  consist  of  2,400  hours,  including  about  200  hours  in  the  school- 
room per  year. 

6.  Apprentices  shall  make  up  lost  time  at  the  expiration  of  each 
year,  at  the  rate  of  wages  paid  during  said  year;  and  no  year  of 
service  shall  commence  until  the  apprentice  shall  have  fully  made 
up  all  the  time  lost  in  the  preceding  year. 

7.  The  company  reserves  the  right  whenever  the  state  of  business 
demands  it,  to  shorten  the  hours  of  labor  or  whenever  for  any  reason 
it  shall  stop  the  working,  or  suspend  wholly  or  in  part;  and  the 
making  up  of  lost  time  in  this  way  shall  be  at  the  discretion  of  the 
company. 

8.  The  apprentices  will  be  required  to  perform  their  duties  with 


'See  Chapter  VII. 

451 


452  APPENDIX 

punctuality,  fidelity,  and  diligence;  and  to  conform  to  the  rules  and 
regulations  which  are,  or  may  be,  adopted  from  time  to  time  for 
the  good  government  of  the  shop;  and  the  company  reserves  the  right 
to  itself,  at  its  sole  discretion  to  terminate  an  agreement,  and  dis- 
charge the  apprentice  from  further  service  for  any  non-conformity 
with  rules  and  regulations,  want  of  diligence  to  his  business,  or 
improper  conduct  in  or  out  of  the  shop. 

9.  In  case  of  discharge,  or  in  the  event  that  said  apprentice  shall 
abandon  his  apprenticeship  before  the  expiration  thereof,  without  the 
consent  of  said  company,  the  apprentice  shall  forfeit  all  wages  then 
earned  and  unpaid. 

10.  Apprentices   will   be   paid    for   each   hour   of   actual    service 
including  the  time  spent  in  the  classroom.    For  the  first  year,  includ- 
ing the  trial  period,  he  will  receive  12.5   cents  per  hour,   for  the 
second  year  18  cents  per  hour,  for  the  third  year  22  cents  per  hour, 
and  the  fourth  year  26  cents  per  hour. 

11.  Apprentices  will  be  allowed  to  increase  the  above-mentioned 
rates  of  wages  on  the  piece-rate  system  wherever  the  latter  may  be 
found  practicable. 

APPRENTICE  AGREEMENT 


This  Agreement  is  made  this day  of 19 

between  THE  REMINGTON  ARMS,  UNION  METALLIC  CARTRIDGE  COMPANY, 
INCORPORATED,  doing  business  in  BRIDGEPORT,  CONNECTICUT,  hereinafter 

known  as  "Company"  and 

of hereinafter  known  as  "Apprentice," 

and of  

hereinafter  known  as  "Guardian,"  whose  relationship  to  the 

Apprentice  is  that  of 

For  the  purpose  of  acquiring  the  Art  or  Trade  of  MACHINIST  AND 

TOOLMAKER  said hereby 

becomes  an  Apprentice  to  the  Company  and  the  Company  hereby  accepts 
him  subject  to  the  terms  herein  stated. 

The  Apprentice  and  his  Guardian  hereby  promise  that  the  Apprentice 
shall  conform  to  and  abide  by  all  the  provisions  of  this  agreement,  and 
shall  faithfully  serve  the  Company  during  the  full  period  of  time  named 
in  this  agreement. 

The  Apprentice  agrees  during  the  period  of  his  apprenticeship  to 
do  all  in  his  power  to  learn  said  art  or  trade  and  earnestly  and  loyally 
to  promote  the  interests  of  the  Company.  He  also  agrees  to  pursue 
classroom  studies  when  they  are  required  and  arranged  for  by  the  Com- 
pany and  in  that  case  to  do  a  reasonable  amount  of  home-study  in 
preparation  thereof. 


fERMS   OF   APPRENTICESHIP   AGREEMENT  453 

It  is  agreed  by  the  Apprentice  and  his  Guardian  that  the  Company 
shall  have  the  right  at  any  time  to  discharge  the  Apprentice  for  lack 
of  diligence,  indifference  to  business,  inability  for  the  works,  disobedience 
of  rules  and  regulations  of  the  Company,  or  improper  conduct  in  or  out 
of  working  hours  and  to  suspend  him  if  the  state  of  business  should 
demand  it. 

In  consideration  of  the  agreements  on  the  part  of  the  Company  herein 
contained  the  said  Apprentice  agrees  that  he  will  pay  the  Company  the 
sum  of  $25  said  sum  to  be  paid  by  said  Apprentice  at  the  expiration 
of  the  term  of  trial  referred  to  in  said  "Terms  of  Apprenticeship,"  this 
to  be  returned  to  the  Apprentice  upon  graduation. 

The  Company  agrees  to  train  and  instruct  the  Apprentice  in  said  art 
or  trade  and  to  pay  him  compensation  as  specified  in  this  agreement 
for  his  services  as  Apprentice.  The  Company  also  agrees  that  if  the 
Apprentice  shall  remain  in  its  service  for  the  full  period  of  his  Appren- 
ticeship, including  whatever  period  is  required  to  make  up  lost  time, 
and  shall  in  every  way  comply  with  the  terms  of  this  agreement,  to 
present  to  the  Apprentice  at  the  termination  of  his  apprenticeship  a  bonus 
of  ONE  HUNDRED  AND  FIFTY  DOLLARS  -($150)  and  a  Certificate  of  Appren- 
ticeship signed  by  an  officer  of  this  Company. 

This  agreement  shall  cover  a  period  of  FOUR  years  including  a  trial 
period  of  576  working  hours.  Each  year  shall  consist  of  2,400  working 
hours. 

The  Apprentice  shall  receive  from  the  Company  during  the  period 
of  apprenticeship  the  following  compensation,  to  wit:  . 


/2  cents  per  hour  for  the  first  year 

18          "  "        "  "      "    second  " 

22          "  "        "  "      "    third     " 

26          "  "        "  "      "     fourth  " 


THE  REMINGTON  ARMS 
UNION  METALLIC  CARTRIDGE  COMPANY,  INC. 

APPRENTICE 


PER 

GUARDIAN 


Signature  must  be  written  in  full  and  with  ink 


APPENDIX  F 

BY-LAWS  DODGE  MUTUAL  RELIEF  ASSOCIATION1 

ARTICLE  I 

Section  i.  The  name  of  the  association  shall  be  Dodge  Mutual 
Relief  Association,  and  may  be  designated  by  the  initials  D.  M.  R.  A. 

Section  2.  Its  headquarters  shall  be  at  Mishawaka,  St.  Joseph 
County,  Indiana. 

ARTICLE  II — OBJECT 

Section  i.  The  object  of  this  association  shall  be  to  secure,  at 
a  minimum  cost,  the  mutual  relief  of  members  in  cases  arising  from 
accident,  sickness,  quarantine,  and  death  among  employees  of  the 
Dodge  Manufacturing  Company,  and  its  subsidiary  companies,  and 
to  enable  them  to  avoid  the  necessity  of  appealing  for  charity;  also 
to  promote  the  general  welfare  of  its  members. 

ARTICLE  III — MEMBERSHIP 

Section  i.  Anyone  while  an  employee  of  the  Dodge  Manufac- 
turing Company,  or  its  subsidiary  companies,  is  eligible  for  member- 
ship, provided  he  or  she  is  between  the  ages  of  16  and  60  years 
and  of  sound  mental  and  bodily  health  and  of  good  moral  character; 
subject  to  the  by-laws  which  are  now  or  later  may  be  adopted. 

Section  2.  Each  new  employee  shall  receive  from  the  secretary 
as  soon  as  possible  after  employment,  a  letter  reading  as  follows: 

Dodge  Mutual  Relief  Association 

Mr Check  No 

You  are  cordially  invited  to  join  the  Dodge  Mutual 
Relief  Association,  managed  by  your  fellow-employees  for 
their  mutual  benefit  as  you  will  see  from  the  enclosed  copy 
of  by-laws. 


»See  Chapter   XXIII. 

454 


BY-LAWS — DODGE   RELIEF  ASSOCIATION  455 

It  is  taken  for  granted  that  you  desire  to  avail  yourself 
of  the  privileges  of  this  organization. 

If  you  join  within  30  days  you  save  $1.40,  half  of  the 
membership  fee,  so  for  that  reason  I  have  filed  with  the 
Directors  an  application  for  membership  for  you. 

In  this  way  you  get  the  full  benefit  of  prompt  action 
and  if  this  is  not  in  accordance  with  your  wishes  please 
let  me  know  at  once. 

Yours  for  self -protection, 


Secretary  D.  M.  R.  A. 

Section  3.  The  secretary  shall  also  fill  out  part  of  the  following 
application  blank,  inserting  the  employee's  name  in  the  blank  at  top 
and  such  other  information  as  he  may  have  available. 

Application  for  Membership 
Dodge  Mutual  Relief  Association 

To   the   Board   of   Directors   of   Dodge   Mutual    Relief 
Association : 

No Date 19.... 

I, am  an 

employee  of  the at 

My  check  number 

is and  I  hereby  apply  for  membership  in 

Dodge  Mutual  Relief  Association  for  benefits  of  $ 

at  death  and  $ per  day  temporary  disability.  I 

have  carefully  read  the  by-laws  and  agree  to  comply  with 
and  be  bound  by  them. 

I  reside  at  No St. 

in  the  city  of County  of 

State  of 

I  am married  and  wish  $ benefits 

in  the  event  of  my  wife's  death.  My  wife  was  born  on 

the day  of in  the  year 

in  the  City  of State  of 


45^ 


APPENDIX 


I  was  born  on  the day 

of I in  the  city  of 

County  of State  of 

I  have .children  under  16  years  of  age 

as  follows  for  whom  I  would  claim  benefits  in  case  of  the 
death  of  any  of  them. 


First 

Middle 

Last 

Born  on 

Amount 
of 

Name 

Name 

Name 

Day 

Month 

Year 

Benefits 
Desired 

• 

I  certify  that  I  .am  temperate  in  my  habits,  and  to  the 
best  of  my  knowledge  and  belief,  there  is  no  injury  or 
disease,  constitutional  or  otherwise,  which  will  tend  to 
shorten  the  life  of  either  myself,  my  wife,  or  any  of  my 
children,  except  as  stated  below: 


I  agree  that  any  untrue  or  fraudulent  statement,  made 
to  the  medical  examiner,  or  any  wilful  concealment  of  facts 
in  this  application  or  elsewhere,  will  forfeit  my  membership 
in  the  said  association  and  all  rights,  benefits,  and  equities 
arising  therefrom. 

I  was  last  attended  by  a  physician  on 

for 

I  hereby  instruct  said  association,  in  case  of  my  death, 

to  pay  the  death  benefit  to 

related  to  me  as or  i  f 

I  should  survive and  neglect 

to  notify  the  secretary  of  some  other  beneficiary,  payment 
to  then  be  made  at  the  discretion  of  the  board  of  directors. 


BY-LAWS — DODGE   RELIEF   ASSOCIATION  457 

I  wish  to  have  the  benefit  of  the  privileges  of  the  club- 
rooms  at  5  cents  per  week. 

I  hereby  authorize  the  Dodge  Manufacturing  Company 
or  any  of  its  subsidiaries  for  whom  I  may  be  working,  to 
withhold  from  any  wages  due  me,  the  dues  of  the  association 
as  provided  by  the  by-laws,  and  pay  same  to  the  secretary 
of  the  association,  the  paymasters  of  the  company  thus  acting 
as  my  attorneys. 

Sign  here 

Recommended  by |  Members  of 

f  D.M.  R.A. 

Application  approved 19 by 

the  Board  of  Directors. 

v. Secy. 

Section  4.  The  application  may  be  acted  upon  by  the  board 
either  before  or  after  being  signed  by  the  employee  but  before  he 
can  become  a  member  it  must  be  duly  signed  by  him. 

Section  5.  In  the  event  that  members  desire  to  avail  themselves 
of  additional  benefits,  they  may  do  so  subject  to  the  provisions  of 
the  by-laws,  upon  notice  to  the  secretary. 

Section  6.  Connection  with  the  Association  shall  terminate  when 
the  member  ceases  to  be  employed  by  the  Dodge  Manufacturing 
Company  or  its  subsidiaries,  or  when  suspended  or  expelled  by  order 
of  the  directors,  in  accordance  with  the  by-laws,  or  upon  resignation 
filed  with  the  secretary,  except  that  where  a  member  shall  be  tem- 
porarily laid  off  by  the  Dodge  Manufacturing  Company  or  its  sub- 
sidiaries, such  action  shall  be  held  subject  to  the  discretion  of  the 
directors  not  to  terminate  the  membership  until  twenty-six  weeks 
have  elapsed,  provided  dues  are  handed  regularly  to  the  secretary 
without  solicitation  and  the  member  continues  to  reside  in  the  county. 

Section  7.  Any  employee  who  involuntarily  withdraws  from 
the  association,  may  be  reinstated  at  the  discretion  of  the  directors, 
but  will  be  required  to  be  again  examined  by  the  physician,  and  pay 
all  old  accounts  against  him  unless  excused  by  the  consent  of  the 
board  of  directors. 

Section  8.  Any  employee  voluntarily  leaving  the  association,  is 
again  eligible  for  membership  on  the  same  basis  as  any  other 
employee,  but  must  pay  up  any  old  accounts  against  him  unless 
excused  by  the  directors. 


458  APPENDIX 

Section  9.  Membership  shall  date  from  the  time  of  deducting 
the  first  dues  from  the  wages  of  applicants  and  shall  terminate  with 
the  expiration  of  the  time  covered  by  the  last  dues  paid. 

Section  10.  In  case  that  it  shall  be  found  that  an  applicant,  his 
wife  (or  dependent  husband),  or  a  child,  has  a  chronic  or  other 
ailment  which  would  decrease  the  desirability  of  the  applicant  as 
a  member,  the  applicant  may,  by  a  majority  vote  of  the  board  of 
directors,  be  admitted  to  membership  by  exempting  the  association 
from  liability  for  such  ailments  or  from  liability  due  to  ailments  for 
which  such  conditions  shall  be  responsible. 

Section  n.  Whenever  an  applicant  is  admitted  to  membership 
in  accordance  with  section  8,  the  action  of  the  board  of  directors 
shall  be  recorded  on  the  membership  record  and  in  the  minutes. 

Section  12.  All  applications  will  be  first  acted  upon  by  the  board 
of  directors  and  applicants  favorably  received  will  take  a  medical 
examination  at  the  expense  of  the  association,  and  under  the  direction 
of  the  board,  unless  excused  by  the  board. 

Section  13.  Admission  to  membership  will  depend  upon  the  deci- 
sion of  the  board  following  the  medical  examination,  if  any. 

Section  14.  The  board  of  directors  have  the  right  to  reject  or 
withhold  decision  on  any  applications  which  appear  to  them  liable 
to  work  contrary  to  the  interests  of  the  association. 

Section  15.  Membership  shall  consist  of  benefits  for  temporary 
disability  and  death  of  member  together  with  such  other  benefits  as 
may  be  selected  by  the  member. 

Section  16.  Dues  of  all  members  are  to  be  deducted  bi-weekly 
or  pro  rata  semimonthly  by  the  regular  paymasters  of  the  Dodge 
Manufacturing  Company  or  its  subsidiaries  and  turned  over  to  the 
secretary.  This  provision  is  possible  through  the  courtesy  of  the 
Dodge  Manufacturing  Company. 

Section  17.  Membership  shall  cease  when  for  any  reason  dues 
are  not  paid  as  provided  in  the  by-laws,  unless  by  the  consent  of 
the  board  of  directors. 

Section  18.  If  it  shall  be  known  that  a  member  becomes  habitually 
intoxicated,  or  is  subject  to  any  disability,  brought  on  by  his  own 
neglect,  misconduct,  or  vice,  or  if  it  shall  be  known  that  he  has 
falsified  in  his  application  for  membership,  or  has  endeavored  to 
defraud  or  injure  the  association  in  any  way,  he  shall  be  deprived 
of  benefits  as  the  nature  of  the  case  may  warrant,  and  shall  be 
suspended  or  expelled,  unless  excused  by  the  directors. 


BY-LAWS — DODGE   RELIEF  ASSOCIATION  459 

Section  19.  Members  conducting  themselves  in  a  way  to  retard 
recovery  or  health,  shall  forfeit  all  benefits  from  disability  so  affected. 
This  includes  drinking  intoxicants,  frequenting  questionable  places, 
or  any  conduct  which  has  a  bad  effect  on  health. 

Section  20.  Members  taking  additional  benefits  will  be  required 
to  take  additional  medical  examinations  unless  excused  by  the  board 
of  directors. 

Section  21.  For  convenience  in  compiling  statistics  and  ad- 
ministering the  affairs  of  the  association,  the  members  may  be  grouped 
into  divisions  as  the  directors  may  decide. 

Section  22.  All  claims  or  rights  to  an  interest  in  any  surplus 
or  other  property  shall  cease  with  termination  of  membership. 

Section  23.  Employees  not  eligible  for  membership  owing  to  age 
or  other  restrictions  may  be  accepted  as  club  members  paying  regular 
club  dues  but  not  benefit  dues. 

ARTICLE  IV — MEETINGS 

Section  I.  The  annual  meeting  of  the  association  shall  be  held 
on  the  second  Monday  of  January  each  year  at  8  P.M. 

Section  2.  Twenty  members  shall  constitute  a  quorum  for  the 
transaction  of  business. 

Section  3.  Special  meetings  are  to  be  called  by  the  president 
when  requested  by  either  twenty  members  or  five  directors,  or  in 
case  he  deems  it  desirable.  Only  the  special  business  announced 
for  a  special  meeting  may  be  transacted  at  that  meeting. 

Section  4.  Notice  of  any  meeting  of  the  association  with  a  state- 
ment of  the  business  to  be  transacted,  must  be  posted  by  the  secretary 
in  conspicuous  places  at  least  ten  days  prior  to  the  meeting.  In 
the  case  of  subsidiary  companies,  the  notice  to  be  sent  by  the  secretary 
to  the  proper  representative  to  be  posted. 

Section  5.  The  board  of  directors  shall  meet  at  least  once  a  week 
on  regular  dates  as  they  may  agree,  and  also  when  called  by  the 
order  of  the  president. 

Section  6.  Five  directors  shall  constitute  a  quorum  at  any 
directors'  meeting. 

ARTICLE  V — OFFICERS  AND  How  ELECTED 

Section  I.  The  management  of  the  association  shall  be  vested 
in  a  president,  vice-president,  secretary,  treasurer,  actuary,  and  six 
directors. 


460  APPENDIX 

Section  2.  At  least  two  weeks  prior  to  the  annual  meeting", 
notice  shall  be  given  to  the  various  departments  and  subsidiaries 
stating  the  officers  to  be  elected — to  fill  the  vacancies  due  to  expiring 
terms. 

Section  3.  The  president,  vice-president,  and  treasurer  shall  be 
elected  by  popular  vote  and  hold  office  for  one  year  or  until  their 
successors  are  elected  and  qualify. 

The  secretary  shall  be  selected  by  the  board  of  directors  from 
among  the  employees  of  the  main  plant  of  the  Dodge  Manufacturing 
Company  where  he  can  have  convenient  access  to  the  complete  lists 
of  employees. 

Section  4.  Each  of  the  six  directors  shall  serve  three  years,  two 
being  elected  each  year  by  popular  vote. 

Section  5.  In  event  of  any  vacancy  occurring  in  any  office  for 
any  reason,  the  board  will  elect  some  member  in  good  standing  to 
fill  the  unexpired  term  until  the  next  general  election. 

Section  6.  The  board  of  directors  may,  if  in  its  judgment  it  is 
desirable,  select  any  necessary  assistant  secretaries,  from  the  members 
in  good  standing  or  from  their  own  number. 

Section  7.  The  board  of  directors  shall  elect  an  actuary  who  shall 
become  a  member  of  the  board  while  filling  that  office. 

Section  8.  In  the  event  that  the  actuary  or  secretary  is  chosen 
from  the  members  of  the  board,  another  member  shall  be  selected 
by  the  directors  to  bring  the  membership  of  the  board  up  to  the 
required  eleven  members. 

ARTICLE  VI — DUTIES  OF  OFFICERS 
Board  of  Directors 

Section  i.  The  board  of  directors  and  officers  shall  supervise 
all  matters  pertaining  to,  and  have  general  control  of  the  business 
of  the  association. 

Section  2.  This  includes  power  to  suspend  or  expel  members, 
or  discharge  any  officer  found  unworthy  of  the  confidence  reposed 
in  him,  after  due  investigation  and  hearing. 

Section  3.  The  board  may  fill  vacancies  occurring  in  offices  and 
decide  questions  not  covered  by  the  by-laws,  but  appeal  must  be 
taken  to  the  membership,  whenever  twenty  or  more  members  de- 
mand it. 

Section  4.     The  board  may  levy  not  to  exceed  two  assessments 


BY-LAWS — DODGE   RELIEF  ASSOCIATION 

per  year,  of  not  more  than  twenty-five  cents  each,  per  membership, 
collectible  as  dues,  when  the  losses  due  to  sickness,  accident,  quaran- 
tine, or  death  have  depleted  the  reserve  to  a  critical  point;  all  other 
assessments  must  be  referred  to  regular  or  special  meetings  of  the 
association. 

Section  5.  The  board  may  demand  a  physician's  certificate,  or 
arrange  for  physical  examination  by  a  physician,  at  the  expense 
of  the  association,  whenever  it  seems  desirable,  and  in  case  of  any 
doubts  about  allowance  of  benefits,  may  similarly  engage  a  physician 
for  an  investigation. 

Section  6.  The  board  must  pass  upon  all  benefits  before  they 
are  allowed,  and  may  send  flowers,  at  the  expense  of  the  association, 
not  to  exceed  once  in  two  weeks,  in  cases  of  confinement  to  bed 
exceeding  one  week,  and  in  case  of  -  death. 

President 

Section  7.  The  president  shall  preside  at  all  meetings  of  the 
association  and  the  directors,  and  perform  such  other  duties,  as  may 
be  enjoined  upon  him  by  the  association  or  directors. 

Section  8.  He  shall  call  regular  or  special  meetings,  sign  all 
minutes,  and  decide  questions  of  order,  subject  to  appeal  to  the 
association. 

Section  9.  He  shall  sign  all  orders  drawn  on  the  treasurer,  and 
have  the  custody  of  all  bonds  of  the  officers. 

Section  10.  He  shall  appoint  all  committees  not  otherwise  pro- 
vided for,  and  fill  vacancies  therein. 

Vice-President 

Section  n.  The  vice-president  shall  assist  the  president,  and 
shall  assume  the  duties  of  that  officer,  in  the  event  of  his  absence 
or  refusal. 

Section  12.  He  shall  serve  as  chairman  of  the  investigating  and 
visiting  committees. 

Actuary 

Section  13.  The  duty  of  the  actuary  shall  be  to  keep  informed 
on  all  actuarial  matters  of  interest  to  the  association,  and  exchange 
actuarial  information  with  similar  officers  of  other  associations  for 
the  general  good  of  this  association. 


APPENDIX 

Section  14.  He  shall  give  advice  to  the  directors  on  the  safe 
conduct  of  the  financial  affairs  of  the  association,  and  to  members, 
covering  such  information  as  he  may  have  or  be  able  to  secure, 
referring  to  any  insurance  or  financial  matters  submitted  to  him. 

Secretary 

Section  15.  The  secretary  shall  attend  all  meetings  of  the 
directors,  the  association,  or  any  committees  of  which  he  is  a  member, 
take  minutes  and  attend  to  the  correspondence. 

Section  16.  At  annual  meetings,  ateo  quarterly  and  on  retiring 
from  office,  he  shall  give  a  written  report  of  the  progress  and  the 
present  state  of  the  association,  and  deliver  to  his  successor,  all  books 
and  papers  pertinent  to  the  office. 

Section  17.  Each  week  he  shall  post  on  the  association  bulletin 
board,  a  list  of  the  members  drawing  benefits. 

Section  18.  He  shall  keep  an  accurate  account  with  each  member, 
and  compile  statistical  information,  as  outlined  by  the  board. 

Section  19.  He  shall  notify  the  members  through  their  attorneys, 
i.e.  the  paymasters  of  the  company,  of  all  amounts  due  the  association 
for  dues,  assessments,  etc.,  receive  and  record  the  money  thus  or 
otherwise  collected,  and  pay  it  promptly  to  the  treasurer. 

Section  20.  He  shall  make  and  attest,  all  orders  drawn  on  the 
treasurer,  and  deduct  dues  from  benefits,  when  necessary,  to  prevent 
members  from  becoming  delinquent  while  disabled. 

Section  21.  He  shall  certify  as  to  the  correctness  of  all  bills  and 
shall  permit  the  auditing  committee  or  any  officer  of  the  association, 
to  examine  his  books  at  any  time. 

Section  22.  He  shall  notify  members  of  their  appointment  on 
committees,  and  give  the  chairman  of  each,  a  complete  list  of  the 
committee. 

Section  23.  He  shall  notify  the  chairman  of  the  investigating 
committee  of  all  applications  for  membership,  and  the  chairman  of 
the  visiting  committee,  of  all  cases  liable  to  lead  to  claims  for  benefits. 

Section  24.  He  shall  give  bond  in  the  sum  of  $2,000,  at  the 
expense  of  the  association,  and  for  faithful  performance  of  duties 
he  shall,  while  serving,  receive  $10  per  year. 

Treasurer 

Section  25.  The  treasurer  shall  receive  all  moneys  from  the  secre- 
tary, keep  an  accurate  account  of  all  receipts  and  disbursements,  as 


BY-LAWS — DODGE   RELIEF  ASSOCIATION  4^3 

outlined  by  the  board,  and  allow  to  the  auditing  committee  of  the 
association  free  access  to  his  books. 

Section  26.  All  monies  received  are  to  be  promptly  deposited 
in  a  place  designated  and  approved  by  the  directors  as  follows: 

A  checking  account  not  to  exceed  three  hundred  dollars  in  some 
bank  believed  to  be  safe;  the  balance  to  be  deposited  in  savings 
banks,  or  put  out  at  interest  in  some  conservative  way  at  the  dis- 
cretion of  the  directors.  All  deposits  must  be  made  in  the  name 
of  the  association. 

Section  27.  He  shall,  within  twenty-four  hours,  pay  any  orders 
drawn  on  him,  when  properly  signed  by  the  president  and  attested 
by  the  secretary,  and  only  when  so  signed  and  attested,  provided 
sufficient  funds  are  available. 

Section  28.  He  shall  not  withdraw  any  money  from  the  savings 
account  without  the  approval  of  the  board. 

Section  29.  He  shall  furnish  bond  in  the  sum  of  $2,000  at  the 
expense  of  the  association  and  shall  receive  a  salary  of  $i  per  year 
while  serving. 

Section  30.  At  annual  meetings  and  when  retiring  from  office, 
he  shall  give  a  written  report  of  the  finances  of  the  association, 
and  deliver  to  his  successor  all  books  and  papers  pertinent  to  the 
office. 

Physician  and  Surgeon 

Section  31.  The  directors  may  regularly  engage  a  physician  and 
surgeon  under  suitable  regulations,  when  in  their  judgment  the 
association  has  grown  to  such  proportions  as  to  make  it  possible 
to  increase  the  service  to  members  without  increasing  the  dues. 

Section  32.  The  physician  shall  be  subject  to  the  instructions 
of  the  directors,  expressed  through  the  president,  when  this  office 
is  filled,  and  the  following  laws  shall  apply: 

Section  33.  He  shall  examine  all  candidates  and  aim  by  advice 
at  the  time,  to  improve  their  state  of  health,  whether  they  become 
members  or  not. 

Section  34.  He  shall  be  a  counselor  of  the  visiting  committee, 
and  shall  recommend  that  members  be  declared  either  on  or  off  the 
disability  list  whenever,  in  his  judgment,  the  general  good  of  the 
members  and  the  association  require  it. 

Section  35.     His  general  function  shall  be  to  keep  the  members 


464 


APPENDIX 


well  as  far  as  practical,  rather  than  merely  to  minister  to  the  sick 
and  injured,  and  shall  prescribe  and  furnish  medicines  free  at  the 
expense  of  the  association  to  members  when  they  may  need  it. 

Section  36.  He  shall  minister  in  all  cases  of  accident  and  sickness 
of  members  residing  within  the  city  limits  of  Mishawaka,  and  supply 
all  medicines  and  dressings  from  written  notice  of  the  disability 
from  the  secretary,  unless  requested  not  to  do  so  by  the  member. 

Section  37.  Members  residing  outside  of  Mishawaka  may  avail 
themselves  of  the  services  of  the  physician,  by  arranging  with  the 
secretary,  for  compensation  covering  extra  expense  due  to  the  greater 
distance. 

Section  38.  His  signature  and  recommendations  shall  be  appended 
to  all  reports  for  settlements. 

Section  39.  Any  medical  attention  secured  by  the  members  aside 
from  that  herein  provided,  shall  be  at  their  own  expense. 

Section  40.  When  able  to  do  so,  members  drawing  disability 
benefits,  must  go  to  the  office  of  the  physician. 

Section  41.  The  physician  or  physicians'  association  shall  receive 
as  compensation  for  his  or  their  services,  the  sum  of  fifty  cents  per 
member  per  year  payable  monthly,  and,  in  addition,  a  bonus  dependent 
upon  the  average  amount  of  temporary  disability  benefits,  paid  by 
the  association  per  member  per  each  half-year  as  shown  in  the 
following  table: 


When  Average  Temporary  Disability  Benefit 
per  Member  per  Half-year  is: 

Bonus     to    be     Paid    to 
Physician    at    End    of 
Half-year 

Over 

Not  More  Than 

Per  Member 

$1.00 
.70 
•5o 

.20 

$1.25 

I.OO 

.70 
•50 

.20 

$.12 
•25 
•35 
•50 
•65 

Section  42.  The  directors  may  enter  into  any  agreement  with 
the  local  physicians  or  their  association  which  will  secure  service  of 
physicians  on  any  basis  in  harmony  with  these  by-laws. 


BY-LAWS — DODGE   RELIEF   ASSOCIATION 

Investigating  Committee 

Section  43.  The  vice-president  shall  serve  as  chairman  o£  this 
committee,  which  may  be  combined  with  the  visiting  committee,  if 
the  directors  deem  it  wise. 

Section  44.  This  committee  shall  be.  divided  into  sub-committees 
for  different  plants  of  the  company. 

Section  45.  The  president  shall  each  month  appoint  one  or  more 
members  from  each  plant  to  serve  three  months,  or  until  their 
successors  are  appointed  and  qualify. 

Section  46.  The  chairman  shall  each  month  designate  the  various 
chairmen  of  the  sub-committees. 

Section  47.  Each  applicant  must  be  investigated  by  at  least  two 
members  of  the  committee  who  shall  affix  their  signatures  to  the  report 
which  must  be  made  to  the  directors  through  the  secretary. 

Section  48.  The  committee,  if  in  doubt,  shall  so  report  with 
definite  reasons  for  hesitating  and  any  recommendations  they  can 
make. 

Section  49.  The  committee  may  be  reimbursed  for  any  necessary 
expense  incurred  in  making  investigations. 

Visiting  Committee 

Section  50.  The  vice-president  shall  serve  as  chairman  of  this 
committee,  and  shall  designate  each  month,  a  chairman  of  a  sub- 
committee, for  each  of  the  various  plants  of  the  company. 

Section  51.  The  president  shall  each  month  appoint  one  or  more 
members  from  each  plant  to  serve  three  months  or  until  their  suc- 
cessors are  appointed  and  qualify. 

Section  52.  Each  person  drawing  disability  benefits,  shall  be 
visited  once  each  week,  by  at  least  one  member  of  this  committee, 
unless  otherwise  ordered  by  the  directors  or  prevented  by  quarantine 
regulations. 

Section  53.  Separate  weekly  reports  of  each  case,  on  regular 
form  shall  be  made  by  the  members  making  the  visits  and  endorsed 
by  the  sub-chairman  and  chairman.  These  reports  shall  be  handed 
to  the  secretary  for  his  files  and  the  scrutiny  of  the  directors.  They 
shall  include  any  violations  of  either  the  letter  or  the  spirit  of  the 
by-laws  or  any  tendency  to  increase  the  risk  of  the  association  which 
may  be  noticed,  and  any  recommendations  of  any  kind  for  the  general 
good  of  the  members  of  the  association. 


466  APPENDIX 

Section  54.  This  committee  may  be  reimbursed  for  any  necessary 
expense  incurred  in  making  visits  or  in  prosecuting  their  prescribed 
duties. 

Section  55.  If  in  doubt  at  any  time,  the  committee  shall  so  report 
with  definite  reasons  for  hesitating  and  any  recommendations  they 
can  make. 

Auditing  Committee 

Section  56.  Each  year,  as  soon  as  possible  after  election,  the 
president  shall  appoint  one  member  of  an  auditing  committee  to 
serve  three  years,  or  until  his  successor  is  appointed  and  qualifies. 

Section  57.  The  senior  member  of  this  committee  shall  act  as 
chairman. 

Section  58.  The  committee  shall  audit  the  books  of  secretary, 
treasurer,  entertainment  committee,  and  any  others  handling  the 
monies  of  the  association,  and  approve  the  secretary's  report  quarterly 
and  report  at  the  annual  meeting  of  the  association. 

Section  59.  Any  irregularities  shall  be  reported  to  the  directors 
as  soon  as  discovered. 

Club   Committee 

Section  60.  The  club  committee  shall  consist  of  three  or  more 
members  of  which  the  chairman  shall  be  chosen  from  the  directors. 

Section  61.  They  shall  provide  or  arrange  for  entertainments 
which  may  be  for  the  good  of  the  members  or  the  association  either 
financially  or  socially. 

Section  62.  They  shall  have  general  supervision  of  the  clubrooms, 
playgrounds,  and  other  social  activities  of  the  association  with  such 
subcommittees  as  may  be  found  necessary. 

Section  63.  The  chairman  of  each  subcommittee  should  be  either 
a  director,  or  a  member  of  the  club  committee  if  practicable. 

Section  64.  The  secretary  shall  be  a  member  and  secretary  of 
the  club  committee. 

Section  65.  All  bills  incurred  by  the  club  committee  or  its 
subcommittees  shall  be  properly  approved,  and  handed  to  the  secre- 
tary for  payment  by  the  association  from  the  club  fund. 

Section  66.  All  money  or  other  revenue  received,  shall  likewise 
be  promptly  turned  over  to  the  secretary  with  full  information  as 
to  its  source. 


BY-LAWS — DODGE   RELIEF   ASSOCIATION  467 

Section  67.  The  committee  will  make  a  report  to  the  annual 
meeting  of  the  association,  and  have  its  records  open  to  the  auditing 
committee  and  other  officers  at  all  times. 

Section  68.  Any  member  refusing  to  serve  or  failing  to  faithfully 
perform  the  duties  of  any  committee  to  which  he  may  be  appointed, 
shall  be  fined  50  cents  for  the  first  offense,  and  $i  for  any  subsequent 
offense,  unless  excused  bv  the  directors. 

ARTICLE  VII — FUNDS 

Section  i.  At  least  two  funds  shall  be  maintained,  made  up  from 
fees,  dues,  and  other  revenue  known  as  the  Benefit  and  Club 
Funds. 

Section  2.  The  benefit  fund  shall  be  used  only  to  cover  benefits 
provided  for  in  the  by-laws,  together  with  attendant  expenses,  and 
shall  receive  all  revenue  collected  as  dues  for  benefits.  The  protection 
of  this  fund  being  the  first  consideration. 

Section  3.  The  club  fund  shall  be  used  for  conduct  of  the  club, 
as  provided  for  in  the  by-laws. 

Section  4.  Separate  records  of  each  fund  must  be  kept  by  both 
secretary  and  treasurer,  and  also  they  must  be  kept  in  separate 
banks. 

Section  5.  Dividends  shall  be  declared,  or  dues  be  remitted,  when- 
ever, in  the  judgment  of  the  directors,  it  is  safe  to  do  so. 

ARTICLE  VIII — DUES  AND  BENEFITS 

Section  I.  The  dues  of  the  association,  shall  be  payable  every 
other  week,  or  semimonthly  pro  rata  on  pay  days,  by  being  deducted 
from  wages  by  the  paymasters  of  the  company  acting  as  attorneys 
for  the  members. 

Section  2.  In  lieu  of  a  membership  fee,  the  dues  of  each  member 
for  the  first  fourteen  weeks  after  joining  shall  be  40  cents  in  addition 
to  the  regular  dues,  except  that  applications  received  from  employees 
within  one  month  after  employment  begins,  or  within  one  month  after 
the  adoption  of  these  by-laws  shall  entitle  them  to  special  dues  for 
the  first  fourteen  weeks  of  20  cents,  in  addition  to  the  regular 
dues. 

Section  3.  The  regular  dues  each  two  weeks  or  half  month  pro 
rata  shall  be  determined  by  the  benefits  which  the  member  elects  to 
take  as  follows : 


468 


APPENDIX 


i  Unit 

2  Units 

3  Units 

4  Units 

A.  Temporary  Disability  Benefits 
for  not  to  exceed  thirteen  weeks 
for  one  disability,  nor  more  than 
twenty-six   weeks   in   any   one 
calendar  year. 
Benefit  for  each  week-day  after  the 
first  3  days 

$o   ^o 

$    I    OO 

$1     CO 

Amount  of  dues  per  week  for  this 
benefit  

(X 

IO 

17  r 

2  ? 

B.  Death  of  Member 
Benefit   to  be  paid   at   death    of 
Member     

^o  oo 

IOO    OO 

150  oo 

•  *J 
2QO    OO 

Weekly  dues  for  this  Benefit 

OI  Z 

02  C 

O  A  Z 

06 

C.  Death  of  wife  of  Member  pro- 
vided she  lived  in  the   United 
States  at  time  of  her  death  
Weekly  dues  for  this  Benefit  .  . 

50.00 

.03 

100.00 

ex 

•***o 

150.00 
OO 

2OO  .  00 
12 

D.  Death  of  dependent  child  over 
2  years  and  under  16  years  of  age 
Benefits  in  excess  of  $50  may  not 
be  taken  for  children  under   6 
years  of  age. 
Benefit  to  be  paid  for  each  child  at 
death  . 

2  "?    OO 

ro    OO 

7  ^    OO 

IOO   OO 

Weekly  dues  for  each  child      .    .  . 

.02 

.04 

.06 

08 

E.  Club  Benefits,  including  use  of 
club  rooms  and  such  privileges 
as  go  with  them, 
^^eekly  dues  for  club  privileges 

f\g 

•W5 

Section  4.  Members  of  this  association  may  each  take  the  various 
benefits  at  the  corresponding  rates  of  dues,  provided  that  no  member 
shall  receive  from  all  sources  temporary  disability  benefits  in  excess 
of  90  per  cent  of  his  average  wages  for  the  three  months  preceding 
disability. 

Section  5.  When  no  wages  are  due  a  member  from  the  company, 
dues  must  be  paid  when  due,  without  solicitation  from  the  secretary 
in  order  to  retain  membership,  except  that  in  event  of  a  member 
otherwise  eligible  for  membership  being  temporarily  laid  off  by  the 
company,  the  directors,  upon  request  and  satisfactory  assurance  of 
credit  responsibility,  may  arrange  to  extend  the  membership  for 
a  period  not  to  exceed  thirteen  weeks,  when  the  amount  in  the 


BY-LAWS — DODGE   RELIEF   ASSOCIATION  4^9 

treasury  will  warrant  it,  and  on  condition  that  all  such  accrued 
dues  are  to  be  deducted  from  any  benefits  paid  until  the  accrued 
dues  are  paid  up. 

Section  6.  When  members  have  been  laid  off  temporarily,  and 
then  resume  work  after  having  had  the  advantages  of  protection 
as  covered  in  section  5,  whether  receiving  benefits  or  not,  their  dues 
shall  be  doubled  until  all  indebtedness  to  association  has  been  paid. 

Section  7.  The  provisions  of  sections  5  and  6,  are  available  only 
to  members  who  continue  to  reside  in  the  same  county,  and  do  not 
take  up  any  occupation,  which,  in  the  opinion  of  the  directors,  should 
enable  them  to  pay  their  dues,  or  should  warrant  the  association  in 
canceling  the  membership. 

Section  8.  Any  person  who  is  a  member  of  the  Dodge  Manu- 
facturing Company  Mutual  Relief  Association  at  the  time  and  at 
least  one  month  prior  to  the  reorganization  and  adoption  of  these 
by-laws,  may  continue  to  pay  the  same  dues  as  formerly,  and  receive 
the  benefits  as  provided  for  special  members  thus  enrolled. 

Section  9.  Special  members  provided  for  in  section  8  shall  pay 
5  cents  per  week  for  former  class  B  and  10  cents  for  former  class  A 
members. 

Section  10.  Special  members,  or  those  paying  special  dues,  as 
elsewhere  provided  for  will  receive  benefits  as  follows: 

Eighty  cents  per  day  for  former  class  A,  and  40  cents  per  day 
for  former  class  B  members,  instead  of  disability  benefits  as  provided 
for  regular  members;  and  death  benefit  of  $50  for  former  class  A, 
and  $25  for  former  class  B  members. 

Section    u.     Members  who   join  the   association  after  they   are 

45  years  old,  shall  receive  benefits  as  follows: 

Age  at  Time 
of  Joining 

46  to   50 Benefits  will  be  10%  less  than  regular  schedules 

5i   to  55 "          "      "   20        -       « 

56  to  60 "          "      "30 

Section  12.  Nothing  in  section  n  of  this  article  shall  affect  the 
benefits  due  under  any  membership  taken  before  member  reached  the 
age  of  46  years  and  kept  continuously  in  force  thereafter. 

Section  13.  Members  shall  be  eligible  for  sick  and  death  benefits 
after  thirty  days  from  the  date  of  their  becoming  members.  In  the 
^event  of  a  member  later  taking  additional  benefits,  such  additional 


47°  APPENDIX 

benefits  become  effective  at  the  expiration  of  thirty  days  from  the 
date  of  collecting  the  increased  dues. 

Section  14.  Benefits  shall  be  paid  as  promptly  as  possible  after 
the  required  proofs  of  claims,  but  the  directors  shall  have  power  to 
stop  or  withhold  benefits  in  the  cases  of  members  who  are  able  to 
work  or  are  otherwise  found  to  be  imposing  on  the  association. 

Section  15.  Members  desiring  to  leave  the  county  while  drawing 
disability  benefits,  must  arrange  satisfactorily  with  the  directors  for 
further  and  sufficient  proof  of  disablement,  or  surrender  all  rights 
to  further  benefits. 

Section  16.  The  fact  that  a  member  drawing  disability  benefits, 
frequents  saloons  or  engages  in  any  work  either  personal  or  other- 
wise, shall  be  evidence  of  his  ability  to  work,  and  benefits  shall 
cease,  unless  sufficient  excuse  is  furnished  satisfactory  to  the  physician 
and  directors. 

Section  17.  No  benefits  shall  be  paid  for  disability  resulting  from 
ailments  existing  prior  to  joining  the  association,  unless  specifically 
accepted  by  the  directors  at  time  of  joining. 

Section  18.  Disability  arising  through  intoxication,  immorality, 
or  wilful  misconduct,  shall  not  be  subject  to  disability  benefits  except 
by  the  consent  of  the  directors. 

Section  19.  Disability  benefits  shall  begin  on  the  fourth  day 
but  not  earlier  than  the  day  on  which  the  secretary  receives  notice 
of  disability,  except  by  consent  of  the  directors.  In  as  much  as  the 
first  great  care  is  to  keep  members  well,  it  is  the  duty  of  each  member 
to  notify  the  secretary  immediately  of  any  threatened  disability  of 
his  or  herself  or  any  other  member. 

Section  20.  Should  a  member  be  discharged  by  the  company  while 
drawing  disability  benefits,  he  shall  not  forfeit  his  rights  to  such 
benefits  unless  the  directors  learn  that  the  discharge  was  for  mis- 
conduct, when  the  benefits  shall  cease  not  later  than  the  expiration 
of  one  month  from  his  discharge,  subject  to  the  judgment  of  the 
directors. 

Section  21.  A  member  having  been  reinstated  after  suspension 
or  expulsion,  cannot  participate  in  benefits  until  three  months  after 
reinstatement,  except  by  consent  of  directors. 

Section  22.  Any  conscientious  efforts  on  the  part  of  disabled 
members  to  return  to  work,  which  may  actually  result  in  relapse, 
causing  two  or  more  short  periods  of  disability  instead  of  one  longer 
one,  shall  not  deprive  them  of  the  benefits  they  would  have  received, 


BY-LAWS — DODGE   RELIEF  ASSOCIATION  471 

had  they  remained  away  from  work.  They  shall  not  however,  be 
paid  benefits  for  the  days  on  which  they  work, 

Section  23.  Convalescent  members  able  to  work  part  time,  may 
receive  partial  benefits  in  keeping  with  the  facts  at  the  discretion 
of  the  directors. 

Section  24.  Benefits  are  meant  for  the  relief  of  members  and 
their  families  and  cannot  be  paid  to  loan  sharks  or  anyone  holding 
unjust  or  usurious  claims  against  members  or  their  families  or  to 
pay  gambling  debts. 

ARTICLE  IX — PERIODS  OF  BENEFITS 

Section  I.  Temporary  disability  benefits  shall  be  payable  for  a 
period  not  to  exceed  thirteen  weeks  for  any  one  disability,  nor  more 
than  twenty-six  weeks  in  any  one  calendar  year. 

Section  2.    In  computing  these  benefits,  Sundays  shall  not  count. 

Section  3.  A  member  must  remain  at  work  at  least  four  weeks 
after  receiving  a  full  term  benefit  of  thirteen  weeks,  before  he  is 
eligible  for  another  temporary  disability  benefit  for  sickness. 

Section  4.  Only  one  benefit,  not  to  exceed  thirteen  weeks,  shall 
be  paid  for  one  disability  or  for  any  one  chronic  disease  or  recurring 
disability. 

Section  5.  Disability  beginning  less  than  four  weeks  after  a 
previous  disability  shall  be  considered  as  part  of  the  former  disability 
unless  there  is  positive  evidence  to  the  contrary. 

ARTICLE  X — DISSOLUTION 

Section  I.  This  association  shall  not  be  dissolved  as  long  as 
ten  members  in  good  standing  desire  to  continue  it,  but  its  by-laws 
or  method  of  doing  business  may  be  altered  at  the  will  of  the 
association. 

Section  2.  In  case  of  dissolution,  the  funds,  except  as  provided 
in  section  3  of  this  article,  shall  either  be  turned  over  to  a  succeeding 
organization,  or  divided  among  the  members  who  have  been  in  good 
standing  for  at  least  six  months  prior  to  dissolution,  pro  rata  accord- 
ing to  the  number  of  months  each  has  been  in  good  standing  since 
joining,  or  turned  over  to  some  charitable  enterprise. 

Section  3.  Any  property  or  money  loaned  or  donated  by  the 
Dodge  Manufacturing  Company  or  its  subsidiaries,  or  donations 
received  with  specific  stipulations,  shall  not  be  divided  among  mem- 
bers but  shall  be  disposed  of  as  may  be  determined  by  the  donors. 


472  APPENDIX 

ARTICLE  XI 

Section  i.  At  all  meetings  of  the  association  the  following  order 
of  business  shall  be  observed,  except  that  by  unanimous  consent  of 
those  present  it  may  be  changed: 

Reading  and  approval  of  minutes 

Report  of  secretary 

Report  of  treasurer 

Report  of  auditing  committee 

Report  of  actuary 

Reports  of  committees 

Communications,  correspondence  and  bills 

Unfinished  business 

New  business 

Section  2.  Each  member  of  the  association  shall  be  furnished  a 
copy  of  these  by-laws. 

Section  3.  Cushing's  Manual  shall  be  followed  in  all  rules  of 
order  not  covered  in  these  by-laws. 

Section  4.  These  by-laws  may  be  amended  at  any  meeting  of 
the  association,  provided  the  proposed  amendments  are  posted  at 
least  two  weeks  before  action  is  taken.  All  by-laws  or  amendments 
to  be  effective  immediately  after  passage,  unless  otherwise  provided. 

SPECIAL  MEMBERSHIP 

Those  who  for  at  least  30  days  prior  to  the  time  of  adopting 
these  by-laws  are  members  of  the  existing  Dodge  Manufacturing 
Company  Mutual  Relief  Association,  in  either  class  "A"  or  "B" 
are  not  compelled  to  change  to  the  new  forms  of  membership,  but 
under  the  title  of  "Special  Members"  may  continue  to  pay  the  same 
dues  as  formerly  and  receive  the  same  benefits  as  before.  No  addi- 
tional members  will  be  taken  under  this  provision. 

Dues  are  collected  through  the  paymasters;  thus  the  association 
has  no  expensive  system  for  collecting  dues.  No  salaries  are  paid 
the  officers  and  all  the  money  goes  for  the  benefit  of  members.  Hence 
the  liberal  benefits  when  compared  with  insurance  companies  paying 
25  per  cent  commission  for  selling  and  25  per  cent  for  expenses, 
leaving  only  half  their  receipts  for  benefits. 

Don't  take  chances  with  your  health  any  more  than  you  would 
in  accident  prevention.  Caution  the  other  fellow  if  he  is  careless. 


APPENDIX  G 

BY-LAWS  AND  FORMS,  CHENEY  BROTHERS 

BENEFIT  ASSOCIATION  AND  PENSION 

REGULATIONS1 

CONSTITUTION 


ARTICLE  I— NAME 

Section  i.  This  association  shall  be  known  as  the  Benefit  Associa- 
tion of  Cheney  Brothers. 

ARTICLE  II — OBJECTS 

Section  I.  The  objects  of  this  association  are  to  provide  its 
members  with  a  certain  income  when  sick  or  when  disabled  by 
accident;  to  provide  for  families  or  beneficiaries  of  members  a 
definite  sum  in  the  event  of  death;  and  to  maintain  a  fund  to  be 
used  to  aid  in  the  support  of  members  in  their  old  age  and  in  certain 
contingencies  of  family  life. 

ARTICLE  III — MEMBERSHIP 

Section  I.  Membership  in  the  association  shall  be  limited  to 
the  employees  of  Cheney  Brothers  and  of  any  company  owned, 
operated,  or  controlled  by  Cheney  Brothers. 

Section  2.  Eligibility  to  vote  on  any  matters  arising  under  this 
constitution  or  the  by-laws  of  the  association  shall  be  limited  to 
members  subject  to  a  liability  for  contributions. 

ARTICLE  IV — ORGANIZATION 

Section  i.  This  constitution  having  been  accepted  by  Cheney 
Brothers  and  by  applicants  for  membership,  in  accordance  with  the 


»See  Chapter  XXV. 

473 


474  APPENDIX 

original  proposal  of  Cheney  Brothers  to  the  applicants  for  member- 
ship, is  a  binding  contract  upon  Cheney  Brothers  and  upon  the 
members  of  the  association,  according  to  the  terms- herein  contained 
subject  to  the  limitations  of  article  VII. 

ARTICLE  V — ADMINISTRATION 

Section  i.  The  officers  of  the  association  shall  be  a  president, 
a  vice-president,  a  treasurer,  a  superintendent,  an  assistant  superin- 
tendent, a  medical  director,  and  a  board  consisting  of  eleven  trustees, 
to  be  known  as  the  board  of  trustees. 

Section  2.  The  president  and  vice-president  shall  be  selected  by 
the  board  from  among  its  own  members  on  the  nomination  of  the 
trustees  representing  the  members.  The  treasurer  of  Cheney  Brothers 
shall  be  the  treasurer  of  the  association  and  shall  also  be  ex  officio 
a  member  of  the  board  of  trustees.  The  superintendent,  assistant 
superintendent,  and  medical  director  shall  be  appointed  by  the  board 
of  trustees  on  the  nomination  of  the  trustees  representing  the  com- 
pany. The  superintendent  shall  be  ex  officio  the  secretary  of  the 
board  of  trustees  and  of  the  association.  The  members  of  the  associa- 
tion shall  appoint  annually  one  trustee  in  the  method  prescribed  in 
the  by-laws,  and  the  directors  of  Cheney  Brothers  shall  also  appoint 
annually  one  member  of  the  board  of  trustees.  The  officers  shall 
hold  office  during  the  pleasure  of  the  board.  All  trustees  shall  serve 
for  five  years  and  until  their  successors  are  selected  and  qualified. 
A  vacancy  caused  by  the  death  or  resignation  of  a  trustee  representing 
the  members  shall  be  filled  by  the  trustees  representing  the  members. 
A  vacancy  caused  by  the  death  or  resignation  of  a  trustee  representing 
Cheney  Brothers  shall  be  filled  by  the  directors  of  Cheney  Brothers. 
Six  trustees  shall  constitute  a  quorum  for  the  transaction  of  business. 

Section  3.  The  board  of  trustees  shall  annually  at  their  regular 
meeting  in  April,  organize  by  the  election  of  a  president,  a  vice- 
president,  a  superintendent,  an  assistant  superintendent,  a  medical 
director,  an  operating  committee,  a  finance  committee,  and  an  auditing 
committee.  The  operating  committee  shall  consist  of  three  members, 
one  to  be  chosen  by  the  trustees  representing  the  company;  one  to 
be  chosen  by  the  trustees  representing  the  members;  and  the  third 
shall  be  the  superintendent.  The  finance  committee  shall  consist  of 
three  members,  one  of  whom  shall  be  the  treasurer  of  the  association; 
one  shall  be  chosen  by  the  trustees  representing  the  company  from 


BENEFIT  ASSOCIATION — CHENEY   BROTHERS        475 

the  trustees  representing  the  members;  and  the  third  shall  be  chosen 
by  the  board  on  the  nomination  of  the  trustees  representing  the  mem- 
bers. The  auditing  committee  shall  consist  of  two  persons,  not 
trustees,  one  of  whom  shall  be  chosen  by  the  trustees  representing 
the  members  and  the  other  shall  be  chosen  by  the  directors  of  Cheney 
Brothers. 


ARTICLE  VI — DUTIES  OF  OFFICERS  AND  COMMITTEES 

Section  I.  The  president  shall  preside  at  all  meetings  of  the 
association  and  of  the  board  of  trustees.  He  shall  enforce  all  the 
rules  of  the  association  and  perform  such  other  duties  as  may  be 
required  by  the  board  of  trustees. 

Section  2.  The  vice-president  shall  perform  the  duties  of  the 
president  in  the  absence  of  the  latter. 

Section  3.  The  treasurer  shall  receive  and  hold  the  current 
funds  of  the  association,  depositing  the  same  at  his  discretion  with 
Cheney  Brothers  to  the  credit  of  the  association ;  or  in  bank  or  banks 
approved  by  the  finance  committee.  He  shall  deposit  the  surplus 
funds  and  securities  of  the  association  in  a  bank  or  safe  deposit 
company  approved  by  the  finance  committee,  under  such  restrictions 
as  to  access  to  the  same  as  the  board  of  trustees  may  from  time 
to  time  establish.  He  shall  disburse  money  for  the  payments  of 
claims  or  the  investigation  thereof  only  upon  the  order  of  the 
operating  committee,  and  for  other  accounts  or  investments  only 
upon  the  order  of  the  finance  committee,  except  as  provided  in 
section  7  of  this  article.  In  case  of  the  absence  of  the  treasurer, 
or  when  he  is  unable  to  act,  either  the  president  or  vice-president 
of  Cheney  Brothers  may  perform  all  of  his  duties  and  act  in  his 
place  and  stead. 

Section  4.  The  superintendent  shall  keep  and  preserve  all  records 
of  the  association  and  of  the  board  of  trustees;  keep  the  accounts 
of  the  association,  under  the  direction  of  the  treasurer,  and  shall 
perform  such  other  duties  as  may  be  required  of  him  by  the  operating 
and  finance  committees.  He  shall  examine  and  subject  to  the  approval 
of  the  operating  committee  accept  or  reject  all  applications  for 
membership.  He  shall  make  a  quarterly  report  to  the  board  of 
trustees  of  the  activities  of  the  association  and  such  other  reports 
as  the  trustees  may  from  time  to  time  require.  He  shall  also,  keep 
a  detailed  record  of  all  payments  for  compensation  under  paragraph 


476  APPENDIX 

(e)  of  section  I  of  article  VII,  and  of  all  receipts  from  Cheney 
Brothers  on  account  thereof. 

Section  5.  The  assistant  superintendent  shall  perform  the  duties 
of  the  superintendent  in  the  absence  of  the  latter,  and  such  other 
duties  as  may  be  required  of  him  by  the  operating  committee,  or 
the  board  of  trustees. 

Section  6.  The  medical  director  shall  make  a  physical  examina- 
tion of  applicants  for  membership,  if  required  by  the  superintendent. 
He  shall  supervise  the  care  and  treatment  of  all  persons  injured 
in  the  service  of  the  company,  and  shall  make  reports  to  the  operating 
committee  from  time  to  time  of  the  condition  of  such  injured  persons, 
and  perform  such  other  duties  as  may  be  required  of  him  by  the 
operating  committee,  or  the  board  of  trustees. 

Section  7.  The  operating  committee,  shall  approve  all  claims 
before  they  are  passed  to  the  treasurer  for  payment  and  the  treasurer 
shall  pay  no  claims  without  the  approval  of  the  committee,  except 
when  directed  by  a  vote  of  two-thirds  of  the  board  of  trustees.  This 
committee  shall  appoint  and  fix  the  remuneration  of  all  visiting 
committees,  employ  inspectors  and  take  whatever  steps  may  be  neces- 
sary to  fully  investigate  the  validity  of  claims  against  the  association. 
It  shall  supervise  the  collection  of  all  contributions  not  taken  out  of 
the  wages  of  members  and  the  receipting  therefor;  shall  approve 
disbursements  of  every  kind  before  they  are  paid  by  the  treasurer; 
and  may  also  investigate  and  recommend  precautions  to  be  taken 
in  every  department  of  the  company  to  prevent  accidents  and  illness. 
In  the  case  of  payments  which  are  to  be  made  by  Cheney  Brothers 
the  committee  shall  examine  and  approve  the  accounts  and  claims 
and  transmit  them  to  the  auditing  department  of  Cheney  Brothers  for 
audit  and  payment.  The  committee  shall  perform  such  other  duties 
as  may  be  assigned  to  it  from  time  to  time  by  the  board  of  trustees. 
In  case  of  the  absence  of  a  member  of  the  operating  committee, 
or  when  he  is  unable  to  act,  any  trustee  representing  the  same 
interest  as  the  absent  or  incapacitated  member  may  act  in  his  place 
and  stead. 

Section  8.  The  finance  committee  of  the  association  shall  invest 
the  funds  of  the  association  in  accordance  with  the  laws  of  the  state 
of  Connecticut  governing  the  investments  of  life  insurance  companies, 
and  shall  make  a  report  of  such  funds  and  investments  to  the  trus- 
tees at  each  regular  meeting  of  the  board.  At  the  end  of  every 
third  fiscal  year  the  committee  shall  estimate  the  amount  of  contribu- 


BENEFIT   ASSOCIATION CHENEY    BROTHERS         477 

tions  to  be  required  of  the  members  for  the  following  period  of  three 
fiscal  years  and  shall  report  the  same  to  the  board  of  trustees  for 
approval.  The  committee  shall  also  recommend  to  the  board  of 
trustees  from  time  to  time  such  changes  in  the  scale  of  benefits  to 
be  paid  by  the  association  as  to  the  committee  shall  seem  proper. 

Section  9.  The  auditing  committee  shall  before  each  annual  meet- 
ing of  the  board  of  trustees  audit  the  books,  accounts,  and  vouchers 
of  the  treasurer  and  superintendent  and  shall  certify  audit  to  the 
board  of  trustees.  This  committee  may,  with  the  approval  of  the 
board  of  trustees,  employ  expert  assistants. 

Section  10.  The  board  of  trustees  shall,  at  the  end  of  each  fiscal 
year,  make  a  report  to  the  members  of  the  business  and  financial 
transactions  of  the  association;  and  shall  have  the  general  control 
and  management  of  the  affairs  of  the  association. 

ARTICLE  VII — CONTRACT  WITH  CHENEY  BROTHERS 

Section  i.  Cheney  Brothers  and  the  association  having  joined 
in  the  furtherance  of  the  objects  set  forth  in  article  II  of  this 
constitution  for  the  good  which  will  accrue  to  both ;  Cheney  Brothers 
(having  been  duly  authorized  thereunto  by  the  vote  of  the  stock- 
holders and  directors  to  enter  into  the  agreement  in  this  article 
contained),  upon  the  formation  of  this  association  and  the  adoption 
of  this  constitution  and  the  by-laws  of  the  association  herein  referred 
to,  hereby  agree  to  and  with  the  association  as  follows: 

(a)  To  take  charge  of  such  funds  and  securities  of  the  associa- 
tion as  may  be  entrusted  to  it  by  the  treasurer  and  to  be  responsible 
for  their  safe-keeping. 

(b)  To  guarantee  the  payment  of  all  sick  and  accident  benefits 
and  death  claims  approved  in  accordance  with  this  constitution  and 
the  by-laws  of  the  association,  provided  that  any  payments  made  by 
Cheney  Brothers  to  make  up  for  any  deficiency  in  the  funds  of  the 
association  during  a  period  of  thrte*fiscal  years  shall  be  repaid  to 
the  company  out  of  any  surplus  funds  which  shall  be  accumulated 
during  the  same  three-year  period. 

(c)  To  pay  in  each  fiscal  year  in  monthly  instalments  into  the 
Employees',  Benefit   Fund   an   amount   equal  to  25   per  cent  of  the 
sum  of  all  of  the  contributions  made  by  members  during  such  fiscal 
year. 

(d)  To  supply  the  necessary  facilities  and  room  for  conducting 


APPENDIX 

the  business  of  the  association  and  to  pay  the  operating  expenses, 
including  the  salaries  of  officers  and  assistants. 

(e)  To   pay   to    all    employees    such    compensation    for    personal 
injury   arising  out  of   and   received   in  the   course   of   employment, 
or  on  account  of  death  resulting  from  an  injury  so  sustained,  and 
provide  such  medical,  surgical,  and  hospital  service  and  burial  ex- 
penses, as  may  be  required  by  law. 

(f)  To  pay  accident  benefits  as  provided  in  the  by-laws  to  full 
and  limited  members  during  such  portion  of  any  terms  of  total  and 
continuous  incapacity  to  perform  work  of  any  character  for  which 
compensation  is  not  payable  by  law,  provided  that  such  incapacity 
results  from  bodily  injuries  affected  through  external,  violent,  and 
accidental   means   independently   of   all   other   causes   and   sustained 
while  performing  duty  in  the  service  of  the  company  and  not  due 
to  the  member's  own  wilful  or  gross  carelessness  or  intoxication  or 
to  disobedience  of  rules  reasonably  designed  for  the  protection  of 
employees. 

(g)  Provided,  however,  that  Cheney  Brothers  shall  have  the  right 
and  power  to  appoint  and  remove  all  employees  of  the  association 
whose  appointment  is  not  specially  provided  for  in  the  constitution 
of   the   association.     And   provided   further   that   the   enactment  of 
legislation  which  will  materially  alter  the  laws  which  now  regulate 
the  relations  between  Cheney  Brothers  and  their  employees,  or  which 
shall  establish  a  scheme  of  compulsory  compensation  to  employees, 
shall  give  to  Cheney  Brothers  the  right  forthwith  to  terminate  this 
contract.     And  provided  further  that  all  moneys  paid  to  a  member 
of  the  association  for  benefits  for  personal  injuries  sustained  by  an 
employee,   arising   out   of   or   in   the   course   of   employment,   or   to 
beneficiaries  for  death  resulting  from  injuries  so  sustained,  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  laws  governing  the  compensation  of  such  injuries, 
of  any  state,  or  amendments  thereto,   shall  be  taken  to  be,  to  the 
extent  thereof,  in  lieu  of  the  benefits  provided  by  this  constitution, 
and  shall   be   deducted   from   the  benefits  payable  to   such   member 
or  beneficiaries   under  the  provisions   of  this   constitution   and  the 
by-laws  of  the  association.     The  acceptance  by  Cheney  Brothers  of 
the  obligations  imposed  by  the  aforesaid  acts  and  of  any  amendments 
thereto  shall  not  affect  the  right  of  Cheney  Brothers  to  terminate 
this  contract  as  provided  in  this  paragraph,  but  such  right  may  be 
exercised   at   any   time   hereafter   or   upon   any   amendment   to   the 
aforesaid  acts. 


BENEFIT   ASSOCIATION — CHENEY   BROTHERS        479 

ARTICLE   VIII — ELIGIBILITY   TO   BENEFITS   AND   LIABILITY   FOR 
CONTRIBUTIONS 

Section  i.  Every  person  under  contract  of  service  or  hire,  written 
or  spoken  with  Cheney  Brothers,  or  with  any  company  owned, 
operated  or  controlled  by  Cheney  Brothers,  becomes  by  reason  of 
entering  such  service,  and  during  such  extent  of  his  term  of  service 
as  he  is  eligible  to  legal  compensation  for  any  class  of  personal 
disabilities,  a  member  of  the  benefit  association  and  is  entitled  to 
whatever  benefits  the  law  provides,  subject  to  such  restrictions  as 
may  govern  by  law  the  relations  of  employer  and  employee. 

Section  2.  Any  member  of  the  benefit  association  may  decline 
to  become  eligible,  in  whole  or  in  part,  for  any  benefits  which  require 
a  contribution  by  him,  unless  such  contribution  is  established  by  law. 

Section  3.  The  benefit  association  may  decline  because  of  physical 
defects  to  accept  a  liability  to  any  member  for  any  benefits  in  whole 
or  in  part  except  such  as  are  established  by  law  and  may  regulate 
the  voluntary  contributions  in  proportion  to  the  liability  accepted. 
Nothing  herein  contained  shall  give  the  association,  except  as  pro- 
vided in  article  VII,  during  the  continuance  of  contributions  of  any 
member,  the  right  to  withdraw  from  a  liability  to  him  as  a  full  or 
limited  member  which  it  has  once  accepted  without  his  consent, 
unless  such  acceptance  was  induced  by  fraudulent  or  untrue  state- 
ments or  by  concealing  any  facts  as  to  the  existence  of  physical 
defects. 

Section  4.  Eligibility  to  any  benefits  over  and  above  those  estab- 
lished by  law  shall  be  based  upon  this  constitution  and  the  by-laws 
of  the  association  and  the  issuing  of  a  certificate  of  full  or  limited 
membership.  Such  certificate  shall  be  in  such  form  as  the  operating 
committee,  from  time  to  time,  shall  prescribe  with  the  approval  of  the 
board  of  trustees. 

ARTICLE  IX — DEFINITIONS 

Section  I.  The  terms  "Cheney  Brothers"  or  "The  Company" 
as  used  in  this  constitution  or  the  by-laws  of  the  association  shall 
include  any  company  owned,  operated,  or  controlled  by  Cheney 
Brothers.  Masculine  terms  include  males,  females,  and  legal  per- 
sons. "Employee"  shall  be  taken  to  mean  any  person  who  has  entered 
into  or  works  under  any  contract  of  service  or  hire,  for  pay,  written 
or  spoken,  with  the  company. 


APPENDIX 


ARTICLE  X — AMENDMENTS 

Section  I.  The  board  of  trustees  may  propose  amendments  to 
the  constitution.  Such  amendments  shall  not  become  effective  until 
they  shall  have  been  accepted  by  the  board  of  directors  of  Cheney 
Brothers  and  approved  by  a  majority  of  the  members  of  the  associa- 
tion, who  are  eligible  to  vote  under  article  III. 


NOTICE  OF  MEMBERSHIP 

South  Manchester,  Conn., 


M  .............................  .  .......................... 

You  are  hereby  notified  that  from  the  date  of  your  entering  the 
employment  of  Cheney  Brothers  you  have  been  enrolled  as  a  statutory 
member  of  the  Benefit  Association  of  Cheney  Brothers  and  are 
thereby  eligible  to  any  compensation  provided  by  law. 

You  are  hereby   further  notified  that  you  are  eligible  for  full 
.................  limited  .............  membership  in  class  ......... 

of  such  association,  entitled  to  the  benefits  thereof  and  subject  to  the 
conditions  of  the  constitution  and  by-laws  of  the  association,  a  copy 
of  which  is  enclosed  herewith. 

Unless  written  notice  of  your  wish  not  to  accept  such  membership 
is  received  before  ............................................  you 

will  be  enrolled  as  a  full  ..................  limited  ................. 

member  of  class  .................  dating  from  ...................  ,  a 

full  certificate  of  full  ................  limited  ...........  membership 

will  be  issued  to  you  and  a  deduction  of  .....................  ($) 

Dollars  per  week  will  be  made  from  your  wages  thereafter. 

Signed  : 


Superintendent  Benefit  Asso. 

Note:  Forms  for  the  rejection  of  membership  may  be  obtained 
from  the  superintendent  of  the  benefit  association  at  the  main  office 
of  Cheney  Brothers. 


BENEFIT  ASSOCIATION — CHENEY   BROTHERS 


TERMS  OF  MEMBERSHIP 

Membership  is  accepted  by  the  person  named  in  this  certificate 
upon  the  following  terms: 

(a)  That  he  shall  be  bound  by  the  constitution  and  by-laws  of 
the  association  and  by   all   amendments   thereto,  and  all   rules  and 
regulations  in  force  during  the  term  of  their  membership. 

(b)  That  his  habits  of  life  are  correct  and  temperate;  that  he 
is  in  sound  condition,  mentally  and  physically,  except  as  set  forth 
in  the  statement  made  by  him  to  the  superintendent  or  his  agent. 
(Article  VIII,  section  13  of  the  by-laws.) 

(c)  That  unless  a  member  shall  otherwise  designate  in  writing, 
with  the  approval  of  the  superintendent  of  the  association,  the  death 
benefits  in  excess  of  those  required  by  law  under  article  VII,  and 
death  benefits   from  sickness  under  articles  V  and  VI  of  members 
whose  membership  commenced  after  September  I,  1915,  shall  be  paid 
to   the   dependents   of   the   deceased,   if   any,   in   accordance   to   the 
relative  degrees  of  their  dependency  existing  at  the  time  or  times 
of  payment,  as  determined  by  the  trustees,  whose  decision  shall  be 
final  as  to  all  questions  of  dependency. 

That  unless  a  member  shall  otherwise  designate  in  writing  with 
the  approval  of  the  superintendent  of  the  association  death  benefits 
described  in  the  above  paragraph  in  case  there  are  no  dependents, 
and  death  benefits  arising  from  sickness  under  articles  V  and  VI  on 
account  of  the  death  of  members  whose  membership  commenced 
prior  to  September  I,  1915,  shall  be  payable  as  follows  and  in  the 
following  order:  (i)  to  the  widow  (husband),  if  surviving;  or 
(2)  if  there  be  no  widow  (husband)  to  the  surviving  children  and 
the  children  of  any  deceased  child  or  children,  the  children  of  a 
deceased  child  to  take  the  parent's  share;  or  (3)  if  there  shall  be 
no  child  of  said  member,  or  child  or  children  of  a  deceased  child 
or  children,  to  the  surviving  parents  or  parent;  or  (4)  if  there  be 
no  surviving  parent,  then  to  the  next  of  kin,  payment  in  behalf 
of  such  kin  to  be  made  to  the  executor  or  administrator;  or  (5) 
if  there  be  no  next  of  kin,  or  if  claim  shall  not  be  made  by  the 
person  or  persons  entitled  thereto  within  two  years  from  the  date 
of  the  member's  death,  the  amount  of  the  death  benefit  shall  be 
paid  into  and  become  a  part  of  the  reserve  fund  of  the  association. 
(Article  VIII,  section  n  of  the  by-laws.) 

(d)  That  if  any  statement  made  by  the  member  to  the  superin- 


APPENDIX 

tendent  or  his  agent  shall  be  untrue  or  fraudulent  or  if  he  shall 
have  concealed  any  facts  or  shall  have  resigned  from  or  left  volun- 
tarily or  otherwise  the  service  of  Cheney  Brothers  or  any  company 
owned,  operated,  or  controlled  by  it,  all  his  rights  and  privileges 
to  full  or  limited  membership  in  the  association  and  claims  to  benefits 
arising  therefrom  shall  terminate,  except  his  right  to  the  amounts 
contributed  to  the  annuities  specified  in  article  IX  of  the  by-laws 
and  except  that  the  termination  of  employment  shall  not,  in  the 
absence  of  any  other  causes  of  termination  of  membership,  deprive 
him  of  benefits  to  which  he  may  be  entitled  by  reason  of  disability 
beginning  and  reported  before  and  continuing  after  the  termination 
of  employment.  (Article  I,  section  6.  article  VIII,  section  13  of 
the  by-laws.) 

(e)  That  Cheney  Brothers  by  its  proper  agent  may  during  the 
continuance  of  his  membership  apply  as  a  voluntary  contribution 
from  any  wages  earned  by  him  in  their  employment  such  contributions 
as  the  trustees  may  establish  for  the  purpose  of  securing  the  benefits 
provided  in  the  by-laws  for  a  member  of  this  association. 

(Article  III,  section  2  of  the  by-laws.) 


FORM  OF  CERTIFICATE  OF  MEMBERSHIP 

No Date 

THIS  CERTIFIES  that 

of in  the  state  of  Connecticut,  is  a  (full) 

(limited)  member  of  the  Benefit  Association  of  Cheney  Brothers, 
entitled  to  the  benefits  and  privileges  of  membership  and  subject 
to  the  obligations  thereof  in  accordance  with  the  constitution  and 
by-laws  of  the  association  and  the  conditions  on  the  reverse  side  of 
this  certificate. 

Membership  shall  be  in  effect  from  the day  of 

19 

Signed  by 


Superintendent   of   the    Benefit   Association   of   Cheney 
Brothers. 


BENEFIT  ASSOCIATION — CHENEY   BROTHERS        4^3 


BY-LAWS 

ARTICLE  I — MEMBERSHIP — ELIGIBILITY 

Section  i.  The  membership  of  the  association  shall  be  composed 
of  full,  limited,  and  statutory  members. 

(a)  Every  person  not  over  forty-five  years  of  age,  in  the  employ 
of  the  company,   shall  be   eligible   for   full  membership,   subject  to 
the  approval  of  the  operating  committee.    Full  members  are  eligible 
to  statutory,  accident,  sick,  annuity,  and  death  benefits,  as  prescribed 
by  these  by-laws. 

(b)  Any  person  in  the  employ  of  the  company,  over  forty-five 
years  of  age,  or  any  employee  not  eligible  to  full  membership,  may 
be  eligible  to   limited   membership   subject   to   the   approval   of  the 
operating   committee.      Limited   members   are   eligible   to    statutory, 
accident,  and  sick  benefits  only,  as  provided  by  these  by-laws. 

(c)  Every  person  under  any  contract  of  service  or  hire,  written 
or  spoken  with  the  company  shall  be  a  statutory  member  during 
such  part  of  his  term  of  service  as  he  is  not  enrolled  as  a  full  or 
limited  member,  and  is  eligible  to  legal  compensation  for  any  class 
of   disabilities.     Statutory   members   shall  be   entitled  to   only  such 
benefits  or  compensation  as  is  established  by  law,  and  shall  be  subject 
to  no  contributions  except  such  as  may  be  prescribed  by  law. 

Section  2.  The  operating  committee  may  reject  any  employee 
of  the  company  for  full  or  limited  membership  because  of  physical 
defects;  but  any  person  rejected  for  full  membership  may,  with  the 
approval  of  the  operating  committee,  be  accepted  as  a  limited  member, 
provided  he  will  agree  to  waive  his  right  to  benefits  because  of 
disability  due  to  the  specific  physical  defects  which  would  otherwise 
operate  to  exclude  him. 

Section  3.  Any  employee  may  decline  to  accept,  or  having  ac- 
cepted, to  continue  in  any  class  of  membership. 

Section  4.  Within  two  weeks  -of  the  date  on  which  a  person 
enters  the  employ  of  the  company,  the  operating  committee  will 
notify  him,  if  eligible,  of  the  grade  and  class  of  membership  other 
than  statutory  which  will  afford  the  greatest  amount  of  benefits 
to  which  the  person  is  eligible  and  acceptable.  If  written  notice  of 
declination  to  accept  such  membership  is  not  received  within  two 
weeks  from  the  date  of  the  notice,  the  person  will  thereupon  be 
enrolled  as  a  full  or  limited  member  and  will  become  subject  to  the 


APPENDIX 

contributions  fixed  for  the  grade  and  class  of  membership  to  which 
he  is  assigned,  unless  he  shall  request  an  earlier  enrolment.  • 

Section  5.  A  physical  examination  by  the  medical  director  may 
be  required  of  any  person  before  he  is  accepted  for  full  or  limited 
membership,  if  deemed  necessary  by  the  superintendent. 

Section  6.  When  a  member  shall  leave  the  service  of  Cheney 
Brothers,  voluntarily  or  otherwise,  his  membership  in  the  association 
shall  end  on  the  hour  of  the  termination  of  his  employment,  and 
he  shall  not  thereafter  be  entitled  to  any  benefits  except  because  of 
disability  beginning  and  reported  theretofore,  and  continuing  there- 
after without  interruption,  and  for  his  contribution  towards  purchase 
of  an  annuity  as  specified  in  article  IX  of  these  by-laws. 

ARTICLE  II — CLASSIFICATION  OF  MEMBERSHIP 

• 

Section  i.  Members  shall  be  divided  into  five  classes,  according 
to  average  weekly  wages,  reduced  to  a  fifty-hour  week  basis.  The 
classes  shall  be  as  follows: 

Class  A.     Members  receiving  not  more  than  $7.50  weekly. 
Class  B.     Members  receiving  more  than  $7.50  and  not  more  than 

$12.50  weekly. 
Class  C.     Members   receiving  more  than   $12.50  and  not  more 

than  $17.50  weekly. 
Class  D.     Members  receiving  more  than  $17.50  and  not  more 

than  $22.50  weekly. 
Class  E.     Members  receiving  more  than  $22.50  weekly. 

Section  2.  Applicants  for  membership,  already  in  the  service 
of  the  company,  shall  be  assigned  by  the  superintendent  to  the  class 
which  includes  their  average  weekly  wages  for  the  last  completed 
pay  period  of  thirteen  weeks.  Those  who  shall  have  been  employed 
less  than  thirteen  weeks  shall  be  assigned  to  the  class  which  includes 
the  average  weekly  wages  for  the  weeks  actually  employed.  All 
averages  of  weekly  wages  shall  be  ascertained  by  dividing  the  amount 
received  by  the  hours  worked  and  multiplying  the  quotient  by  fifty. 

Section  3.  A  new  employee  applying  for  membership,  if  engaged 
at  a  specified  wage,  shall  be  assigned  to  the  class  which  includes 
his  wage;  otherwise  he  shall  be  assigned  to  class  A;  but  any  such 
new  employee  may  be  assigned  to  any  higher  class  which  he  may 
select  with  the  approval  of  the  superintendent. 


BENEFIT  ASSOCIATION CHENEY   BROTHERS        4^5 

Section  4.  A  reclassification  of  members  shall  be  made  annually 
by  the  superintendent.  Members,  whose  average  wages  shall  have 
increased  or  decreased  beyond  the  limits  of  the  class  to  which  they 
were  assigned,  shall  be  re-assigned  to  a  higher  or  lower  class  to 
correspond  to  their  wage  earnings;  provided,  that  the  superintendent 
may  at  his  discretion  upon  request  of  a  member  assign  any  member 
to  the  next  higher  or  lower  class. 

ARTICLE  III — CONTRIBUTIONS  BY  MEMBERS 

Section  I.  The  word  "contribution"  as  used  in  these  by-laws 
shall  mean  such  designated  portion  of  the  wages  payable  by  the 
company  to  the  association  on  order  of  the  employee  as  the  board 
of  trustees  shall  have  fixed  for  the  purpose  of  securing  to  him  the 
benefits  of  the  association,  or  such  cash  payments  as  it  may  be  neces- 
sary for  a  member  to  make  for  this  purpose. 

Section  2.  Contributions  shall  be  payable  monthly  in  advance 
and  shall  be  deducted  from  the  wages  of  the  members  on  the  first 
regular  pay-day  of  each  month.  If  sufficient  wages  to  cover  the 
monthly  contribution  shall  not  have  been  earned  in  any  month  by 
a  member,  he  shall  pay  in  cash  the  amount  of  the  contribution, 
or  that  proportion  not  covered  by  his  earned  wages.  The  weekly 
pay  cards  issued  by  Cheney  Brothers  may  contain  an  authorization 
to  Cheney  Brothers,  by  its  proper  agents,  to  apply  from  any  wages 
earned  in  their  employ  such  amounts  as  the  board  of  trustees  may 
fix  under  sections  I  and  4  of  this  article.  No  member  over  one 
month  in  arrears  shall  receive  any  benefit  for  any  accident  which 
shall  be  sustained,  or  for  any  sickness  which  shall  have  commenced, 
or  death  resulting  therefrom,  during  the  time  in  which  he  was  in 
arrears;  nor  thereafter  until  he  shall  have  resumed  full  payment 
of  his  contributions. 

Section  3.  If  by  reason  of  error  the  contribution  of  a  member 
for  any  amount  shall  not  be  deducted  from  his  wages,  such  error 
shall  not  debar  him  or  his  beneficiary  from  benefits  to  which  they 
would  otherwise  be  entitled,  and  the  error  shall  be  corrected  and 
deduction  made  on  the  next  pay-day  from  the  wages  earned  by  such 
member. 

Section  4.  Contributions  of  members  shall  be  such  amounts  as 
the  board  of  trustees  may  from  time  to  time  determine,  not  exceeding, 
however,  3  per  cent  of  the  mean  wage  of  the  class  to  which  the 


486  APPENDIX 

member  belongs.  Until  changed  by  the  board  of  trustees,  such 
contributions  shall  be  il/2  per  cent  of  the  class  to  which  the  member 
belongs  for  full  members,  and  I  per  cent  of  such  mean  wage  for 
limited  members. 

Section  5.  Any  member  who  shall  be  temporarily  relieved  from 
service  for  a  period  not  exceeding  ninety  days  may  retain  his 
membership  by  paying  monthly  in  advance  the  same  contribution 
as  was  made  by  him  in  the  two  months  before  he  is  so  relieved 
from  service. 

Section  6.  Any  member  who  shall  leave  the  service  during  a 
month  for  which  he  shall  have  paid  contributions  shall  receive  back 
an  amount  equal  to  that  proportion  of  the  month's  time  for  which 
he  will  be  off  the  company's  pay-roll ;  but  he  shall  receive  no  further 
amount,  except  his  interest  in  an  annuity,  as  hereinafter  pro- 
vided. 

Section  7.  Contributions  shall  be  made  during  disability  from 
sickness  or  accident  and  shall  be  deducted  from  any  amounts  payable 
for  benefits  or  death  claims. 

ARTICLE  IV — FUNDS  AND  ACCOUNTS 

Section  i.  The  contributions  of  members  shall  be  credited  to 
each  member's  personal  account  and  deposited  in  a  fund  to  be  known 
as  the  "Benefit  Fund."  The  company's  annual  contribution  of  25 
per  cent  of  the  amount  contributed  by  the  members  shall  also  be 
deposited  in  this  fund.  The  benefit  fund  shall  be  used  only  for  the 
payment  to  members  of  sick  benefits  and  death  claims  resulting 
from  disease,  and  for  benefits  for  an  injury  other  than  the  results 
of  an  accident  in  the  company's  service,  as  specified  in  article  VII, 
section  2,  of  these  by-laws.  The  amount  remaining  in  the  benefit 
fund  at  the  end  of  each  fiscal  year,  less  the  amount  which  will  be 
required  to  liquidate  claims  in  process  of  adjustment,  shall  be  trans- 
ferred to  a  fund  to  be  known  as  the  "Reserve  Fund/' 

Section  2.  The  reserve  fund  shall  be  used  only  for  the  payment 
of  annuities  to  members  and  the  payment  of  withdrawals  as  herein- 
after provided,  but  the  company  may  be  reimbursed  out  of  this  fund 
at  the  end  of  any  three-year  period  for  moneys  which  it  shall  have 
paid  during  the  same  three-year  period  (in  accordance  with  provision 
(b)  of  the  contract  between  the  company  and  the  association  set 
forth  in  article  VII  of  the  constitution),  but  not  to  a  greater  extent 


BENEFIT  ASSOCIATION CHENEY   BROTHERS 

than  the  surpluses  accruing  in  the  benefit   fund  during  the  whole 
of  that  three-year  period. 

ARTICLE  V — SICK  BENEFITS  AND  DEATH  CLAIMS  RESULTING  FROM 

SICKNESS 

Section  i.  Benefits  for  sickness  caused  by  diseases  to  which  both 
sexes  are  not  liable  shall  not  be  paid  for  the  first  six  working  days 
of  disability,  nor  for  Sundays.' 

Benefits  for  sickness  caused  by  diseases  other  than  those  stated 
above  shall  not  be  paid  for  the  first  three  working  days  of  disability, 
nor  for  Sundays. 

In  all  cases  of  sickness  the  operating  committee  may  refuse 
to  allow  benefits  until  the  expiration  of  a  full  working  day  after 
the  receipt  of  a  notice  of  disability.  The  operating  committee  may 
also  refuse  to  pay  sick  benefits  for  disabilities  resulting  from  any 
illness  which  has  not  required  the  attendance  or  examination  of  a 
registered  physician. 

Section  2.  Payments  of  one-half  of  the  mean  weekly  wage  of 
the  class  to  which  the  member  is  contributing  for  the  first  fifty-two 
weeks  of  allowed  disability  and  one-fourth  of  such  mean  weekly 
wage  for  the  second  fifty-two  weeks  of  such  disability  (in  accordance 
with  the  schedule  attached  to  this  article),  shall  be  made  monthly 
to  a  member  while  disabled  by  sickness  or  by  an  injury  other  than 
the  result  of  an  accident  in  the  company's  service,  as  specified  in 
article  VII  of  these  by-laws. 

Nothing  herein  contained  shall  prevent  the  payment  by  the  com- 
pany upon  the  application  of  the  member  of  a  retiring  pension 
in  lieu  of  all  benefit  association  benefits,  except  such  as  are  provided 
for  in  article  VI,  section  I  of  the  by-laws. 

Section  3.  A  relapse,  if  due  either  in  whole  or  in  part  to  the 
disease  or  injury  which  caused  the  original  disability,  shall  con- 
stitute a  part  of  such  disability  in  the  computation  of  the  term 
for  which  benefits  shall  be  paid,  as  specified  in  section  2  of  this 
article. 

Section  4.  Benefits  for  disability  due  to  pregnancy  shall  not 
exceed  $50.  Such  benefits  shall  be  in  lieu  of  all  other  benefits  for 
disability  preceding  directly  or  indirectly  from  this  cause,  and  shall 
only  be  payable  upon  compliance  with  the  following  conditions: 

(a)  After  the  birth  of  a  legitimate  child  or  children  to  a  lawfully 


488 


APPENDIX 


married  woman,  after  completion  of  not  less  than  six  months  of 
pregnancy. 

(b)  The  woman  must  have  been  a  member  of  the  Benefit  Associa- 
tion of  Cheney.  Brothers   for   at   least   twelve   months   immediately 
preceding  confinement. 

(c)  The  total  absence  from  service  shall  not  be  less  than  fourteen 
weeks,  of  which  at  least  eight  weeks  shall  have  been  previous  to 
confinement,  except  in  premature  cases  where  the  doctor  shall  certify 
to  such  fact. 

(d)  The  member  shall  have  been  attended  by  a  registered  physi- 
cian during  confinement. 

Section  5.  In  case  of  death  due  to  sickness  or  to  an  injury 
other  than  by  an  accident  in  the  company's  service  (as  specified  in 
article  VII  of  these  by-laws),  an  amount  equal  to  one-half  of  one 
year's  mean  wages  of  the  class  to  which  the  member  was  contributing 
shall  be  paid  in  monthly  instalments  during  one  year  after  such 
death  to  the  beneficiary  or  beneficiaries  of  the  deceased  member. 
The  operating  committee  may  anticipate  the  payment  of  any  one  or 
more  of  such  monthly  instalments. 


Section  6.    SCHEDULE  OF  SICK  AND  DEATH  BENEFITS 


Class 

Class 

Class 

Class 

Class 

A 

B 

C 

D 

E 

Those  receiving  i 

r  more  than 

.. 

$  7.50 

$12.50 

$17-50 

$22.50 

weekly             \ 

w  not  more  than  .  . 

$7-50 

12.50 

17-50 

22.50, 

Mean  Waere  of  Class  . 

^  oo 

IO   OO 

I  ^    OO 

20  oo 

24.   OO 

Benefit  per          j 

r  ist  52  weeks 

2.50 

5.00 

7.50 

IO.OO 

12.00 

week                1 

o  26.  52  weeks  

1.25 

2.50 

3.75 

5.00 

6.00 

Death  Claims 

130  oo 

260  oo 

3QO    OO 

520  oo 

624  oo 

i  £%     of     mean 

Weekly 
Contribution 

wage  —  full 
members     .  .  . 
i%  —  limited 

0.07! 

0.15 

0.22| 

0.30 

o'.37» 

members     .  .  . 

•  05 

.10 

•15 

.20 

.25 

Limited  membership  does  not  purchase  death  claim  or  annuity. 


BENEFIT   ASSOCIATION — CHENEY   BROTHERS        489 

ARTICLE    VI — DEATH    BENEFITS    CONTINUED    AFTER    LEAVING   THE 
ACTIVE  SERVICE  AND  ADDITIONAL  DEATH  BENEFITS 

Section  i.  Members  retiring  from  active  service  on  a  pension 
or  annuity,  but  performing  some  service  for  the  company  suited 
to  their  capacity,  may  retain  a  death  benefit  not  exceeding  that  of 
class  A,  $130.  In  order  to  retain  such  death  benefit  they  shall 
contribute  25  cents  per  month  for  each  $100  of  death  benefits.  Their 
contributions  shall  be  deducted  from  their  pension  or  annuity  and 
credited  to  the  association. 

Section  2.  Upon  passing  a  satisfactory  medical  examination  fall 
members  not  over  fifty  years  of  age  may  acquire  additional  death 
benefits  of  not  to  exceed  twice  the  amount  of  the  death  benefit  of 
the  class  to  which  they  are  contributing. 

Section  3.  The  rate  per  month  of  contributions  for  death  benefits, 
additional  to  the  death  benefit  of  the  member's  class,  shall  be 
determined  by  the  age  of  the  member  at  the  time  of  taking  the 
additional  death  benefit,  as  follows:  For  each  $100  of  additional 
death  benefit  for  a  member  not  over  forty  years  of  age,  12^  cents 
monthly;  over  forty  and  not  over  fifty  years  of  age,  17  cents  monthly. 
If  a  member,  having  additional  death  benefit,  shall  increase  the 
amount  when  his  age  requires  a  higher  rate  than  he  before  con- 
tributed, the  higher  rate  shall  apply  only  to  the  increase. 

ARTICLE  VII — ACCIDENT  BENEFITS  AND  DEATH  CLAIMS  RESULTING 
FROM  ACCIDENTS  OTHER  THAN  THOSE  REQUIRED  BY  LAW 

Section  i.  Accident  benefits  other  than  those  required  by  law 
are  payable  to  full  and  limited  members  only,  and  when  allowed 
shall  date  from  the  hour  when  the  injured  person  was  examined  by 
the  medical  or  assistant  medical  examiner  and  his  injury  approved 
as  constituting  a  disability  under  sections  2  and  3  of  this  article. 

Section  2.  In  order  to  entitle  a  member  or  his  beneficiaries  to 
accident  benefits  other  than  those  required  by  law  the  injury  must 
be  reported  to  the  foreman  of  the  department  in  which  the  member 
was  engaged  within  twenty-four  hours  after  the  injury  was  sus- 
tained, not  including  Sundays  or  legal  holidays.  It  must  be  shown 
that  incapacity  or  death  resulted  from  bodily  injuries  affected  through 
external,  violent,  and  accidental  means  independently  of  all  other 
causes  and  that  such  injuries  or  death  were  sustained  during  the 


49°  APPENDIX 

performance  of  duty  in  the  service  of  the  company  or  while  volun- 
tarily protecting  the  company's  property  or  interests.  Accident  bene- 
fits under  this  article  will  be  paid  for  the  results  of  frostbite  or 
sunstroke  but  not  for  any  injury,  disability,  or  death  due  to  the 
member's  own  wilful  or  gross  carelessness  or  intoxication  or  to  the 
disobedience  of  rules  reasonably  designed  for  the  protection  of  em- 
ployees, or  from  or  while  violating  law  or  for  injuries  or  death 
intentionally  self-inflicted.  Benefits  for  accidental  injuries  excluded 
under  this  section  and  not  required  by  law  may  be  paid  as  sick 
benefits  or  death  by  disease  under  article  V  and  article  VIII,  section 
7  of  the  by-laws;  but  the  operating  committee  may  make  exceptions 
in  any  case  where  the  rules  herein  set  forth  would  be  obviously 
unjust. 

Section  3.  Where  an  accidental  bodily  injury  for  which  benefits 
shall  be  payable  under  this  article  shall  wholly  disable  and  prevent 
a  member  from  performing  work  of  any  character,  a  monthly  pay- 
ment of  an  amount  equal  to  one-half  of  his  average  weekly  wages, 
as  defined  in  article  XI,  shall  be  made  for  such  part  of  the  period 
of  total  disability  as  compensation  shall  not  be  payable  by  law.  If 
the  disability  aforesaid  shall  be  continuous  and  permanent  and  finally 
result  in  death  within  six  years,  the  monthly  benefits,  provided  for 
in  this  section  shall  be  paid  to  the  member  while  he  shall  survive 
and  for  the  remainder  of  the  six  years  to  his  beneficiary  or  benefi- 
ciaries. 

Section  4.  In  all  cases  of  accidental  injuries  covered  by  this 
article  surgical  and  medical  attendance,  and  hospital  treatment  when 
necessary,  in  addition  to  those  required  by  law,  will  be  provided 
under  the  direction  of  the  medical  director  during  the  entire  period 
of  disability. 

Section  5.  To  all  claims  for  accident  benefits  and  death  claims 
resulting  from  accidental  injuries  under  this  article  an  additional 
allowance  shall  be  made  the  member  or  the  beneficiary  or  benefi- 
ciaries, as  the  case  may  be,  of  I  per  cent  of  the  average  weekly 
wages;  (as  ascertained  in  article  XI),  for  each  year  of  the  member's 
service  over  five  years;  and  in  the  case  of  married  members  sup- 
porting their  families,  an  additional  allowance  of  5  per  cent  shall 
be  made  for  each  child  under  sixteen  years  of  age  who  is  dependent 
upon  the  member  for  support;  provided,  however,  that  in  no  case 
shall  the  benefits  paid  be  increased  by  more  than  25  per  cent  of  the 
average  wage  of  the  injured  member. 


BENEFIT  ASSOCIATION — CHENEY   BROTHERS        49* 

Section  6.  In  the  case  of  a  death  resulting  solely  from  an 
accidental  injury  covered  by  this  article  an  additional  benefit  will 
be  paid  to  cover  funeral  expenses  but  not  to  exceed  $100. 


ARTICLE  VIII — REGULATIONS  GOVERNING  SICK  AND  ACCIDENT  BENE- 
FITS AND  DEATH   CLAIMS 

Section  i.  If  the  death  of  a  member  shall  result  from  suicide, 
whether  sane  or  insane,  before  the  end  of  the  first  year  of  member- 
ship, the  beneficiary  or  beneficiaries  shall  be  entitled  to  receive,  as 
a  benefit  for  such  death,  only  20  per  cent  of  the  member's  actual 
contributions  to  the  funds  of  the  association. 

Section  2.  Every  disability  or  death  shall  be  classed  as  due  to 
either  sickness,  which  includes  injuries  other  than  those  received 
in  the  course  of  employment  as  determined  by  articles  V  and  VI, 
or  as  due  to  accidents  as  determined  by  article  VII  and  the  com- 
pensation laws  of  the  State  of  Connecticut.  No  member  shall  receive 
at  the  same  time  benefits  for  both  sickness  and  accidents,  as  defined 
by  said  articles  and  laws,  except  that  a  member  who  is  receiving 
legal  compensation  for  permanent  partial  disability  or  dismember- 
ment, may,  after  the  resumption  of  work,  become  eligible  for  sick 
benefits  while  still  receiving  compensation. 

Section  3.  Benefits  will  not  be  paid  for  sickness  which  is  caused 
or  increased  in  whole  or  in  part  by  sexual  immorality,  intoxication, 
or  the  use  of  intoxicating  liquors  or  narcotics,  or  from  or  while 
violating  the  law;  nor  shall  any  benefits  be  paid  in  the  case  of  death 
at  the  hands  of  justice  or  on  account  of  death  due  to  any  of  the 
causes  enumerated  in  this  section,  except  by  vote  of  the  trustees. 

Section  4.  A  member  will  not  be  entitled  to  any  benefits  during 
the  time  for  which  he  is  paid  wages  by  the  company,  except  benefits 
for  partial  incapacity  after  the  resumption  of  work,  as  provided  by 
law. 

Section  5.  A  member  who  shall  decline  to  submit  to  examination 
by  the  medical  director  or  nurse  of  the  association  or  by  the  visiting 
committee,  or  who  shall  intentionally  deceive  such  medical  director, 
nurse,  or  visiting  committee,  or  absent  himself  from  his  usual  place 
of  residence  without  the  permission  of  the  superintendent,  shall  not 
be  entitled  to  either  sick  or  accident  benefits,  or  death  claims. 

Section  6.  The  operating  committee  of  the  association  shall  decide 
all  claims  for  benefits  against  the  association  or  against  Cheney 


492  APPENDIX 

Brothers,  and  their  decision,  subject  to  approval  or  revision  upon 
an  appeal  to  the  board  of  trustees  of  the  association,  shall  be  final 
and  conclusive  upon  all  interests  concerned. 

Section  7.  A  disability  or  death  resulting  from  a  slight  wound, 
infection,  or  injury  not  immediately  disabling,  and  not  reported 
within  twenty- four  hours  after  the  injury  was  sustained,  not  including 
Sundays  or  legal  holidays,  may,  in  the  discretion  of  the  operating 
committee,  be  classed  as  due  to  disease  and  considered  as  a  claim 
for  sick  benefits  or  death  resulting  from  disease  under  article  V 
of  the  by-laws,  unless  otherwise  required  by  law. 

Section  8.  No  assignments  of  benefits  or  death  claims  and  no 
changes  of  beneficiary  can  be  made  without  the  written  consent  of 
the  superintendent  of  the  association.  If  any  member  or  beneficiary 
shall  cause  an  attachment  or  other  legal  process  to  be  served  upon 
the  officers  of  the  association,  all  benefits  then  due  or  which  would 
thereafter  otherwise  become  due  and  payable  to  such  member  or 
to  his  beneficiaries  except  the  compensation  required  by  law  shall  be 
paid  into  and  become  a  part  of  the  reserve  fund  of  the  association. 

Section  9.  In  case  of  injury  in  the  service  of  the  company  the 
medical  director  may  employ  such  medical  assistance  in  consultation 
as  he  deems  necessary,  or  the  injured  person  with  the  consent  of 
either  the  medical  director  or  the  superintendent,  may  call  in  con- 
sultation additional  medical  assistance. 

Section  10.  In  case  any  employee  or  his  beneficiaries  or  de- 
pendents shall  be  entitled  by  the  laws  of  Connecticut  to  any  com- 
pensation for  injuries  received  during  the  course  of  employment, 
and  arising  out  of  employment,  greater  than  that  herein  provided, 
the  amount  paid  to  the  employee,  beneficiary,  or  dependent  shall  be 
that  prescribed  by  such  law. 

Section  n.  Unless  a  member  shall  otherwise  designate  in  writing 
with  the  approval  of  the  superintendent  of  the  association,  death 
benefits  in  excess  of  those  required  by  law  under  article  VII,  and 
death  benefits  from  sickness  under  articles  V  and  VI  of  members 
whose  membership  commenced  after  September  I,  1915,  shall  be 
paid  to  the  dependents  of  the  deceased,  if  any,  in  accordance  to  the 
relative  degrees  of  their  dependency  existing  at  the  time  or  times 
of  payment,  as  determined  by  the  trustees,  whose  decision  shall  be 
final  as  to  all  questions  of  dependency. 

Unless  a  member  shall  otherwise  designate  in  writing  with  the 
approval  of  the  superintendent  of  the  association  death  benefits  de- 


BENEFIT   ASSOCIATION CHENEY    BROTHERS        493 

scribed  in  the  above  paragraph  in  case  there  are  no  dependents,  and 
death  benefits  arising  from  sickness  under  articles  V  and  VI  on 
account  of  the  death  of  members  whose  membership  commenced 
prior  to  September  I,  1915,  shall  be  payable  as  follows  and  in  the 
following  order:  (i)  to  the  widow  (husband)  if  surviving;  or  (2) 
if  there  be  no  widow  (husband)  to  the  surviving  children  and  the 
children  of  any  deceased  child  or  children,  the  children  of  a  deceased 
child  to  take  the  parent's  share;  or  (3)  if  there  shall  be  no  child 
of  said  member,  or  child  or  children  of  a  deceased  child  or  children, 
to  the  surviving  parents  or  parent;  or  (4)  if  there  be  no  surviving 
parent,  then  to  the  next  of  kin,  payment  in  behalf  of  such  kin  to  be 
made  to  the  executor  or  administrator;  or  (5)  if  there  be  no  next 
of  kin,  or  if  claim  shall  not  be  made  by  the  person  or  persons 
entitled  thereto  within  two  years  from  the  date  of  the  member's 
death,  the  amount  of  the  death  benefit  shall  be  paid  into  and  become 
a  part  of  the  reserve  fund  of  the  association. 

Section  12.  The  decision  of  the  board  of  trustees  shall  be  final 
and  conclusive  in  any  controversy  with  the  association  of  whatsoever 
nature,  or  for  or  in  relation  to  any  claim  for  sick  or  accident  benefits 
and  annuities  or  for  death  benefits. 

Section  13.  Any  employee  when  accepting  full  or  limited  mem- 
bership may  be  required  by  the  superintendent  to  make  a  written  or 
oral  statement  as  to  whether  his  habits  of  life  are  correct  and 
temperate  and  as  to  whether  he  is  in  sound  condition  mentally  and 
physically,  and  if  any  statement  so  made  shall  prove  to  be  untrue 
or  fraudulent  or  if  such  statement  shall  have  concealed  any  pertinent 
facts,  the  rights  and  privileges  of  full  or  limited  membership  herein 
shall  be  thereby  terminated  and  forfeited. 

ARTICLE  IX — ANNUITIES 

Section  i.  The  term  "annuity"  as  used  herein  shall  mean  a  pay- 
ment to  be  made  out  of  the  reserve  fund  to  a  member,  who  shall 
be  retired  from  active  service  by  reason  of  age  or  physical  condition 
under  regulations  adopted  by  the  association.  Such  payment  shall 
commence  on  the  first  day  of  the  month  next  following  retirement, 
and  shall  be  continued  thereafter  until  the  death  of  the  member. 

Section  2.  The  amount  of  the  annuity  to  be  paid  to  a  member 
shall  be  fixed  at  the  time  of  his  retirement  and  based  upon  actuarial 
computations  adopted  by  the  board  of  trustees. 


494  APPENDIX 

Section  3.  No  member  shall  be  entitled  to  receive  an  annuity 
for  any  period  during  which  he  shall  receive  wages  from  the  com- 
pany, and  the  acceptance  of  an  annuity  shall  release  and  discharge 
the  association  from  any  obligation  to  pay  any  disability  or  death 
benefits  thereafter  except  as  provided  in  article  VI,  section  I,  of 
these  by-laws,  or  as  are  required  by  law. 

Section  4.    Annuities  shall  be  paid  to  members  as  follows: 

(a)  To  men  over  seventy  years  of  age  and  women  over  sixty 
years  of  age,  who  shall  have  been  contributors  to  the  fund  for  ten 
years    and    who    shall    be    retired    from    active    service    with    the 
company. 

(b)  To  men  over  sixty-five  years  of  age  and  women  over  fifty-five 
years   of   age,   who   shall   have  been   contributors  to   the   fund   for 
fifteen  years  and  who  shall  be  retired  from  active  service  with  the 
company  because  of  incapacity  of  further  work. 

(c)  To  men  or  women  of  any  age  who   shall  have  been  con- 
tributors to  the  fund  for  twenty  years  and  who  shall  have  become 
permanently  incapacitated  for  further  work  in  the  service  of  the 
company. 

Section  5.  A  member  who  shall  have  contributed  to  the  fund 
for  one  completed  fiscal  year  or  more  and  who  wishes  to  withdraw 
may  recover,  without  interest,  one  year  after  the  termination  of  his 
membership  that  proportion  of  his  contributions  which  the  transfers 
to  the  reserve  fund  of  the  contributions  of  members  during  the  years 
of  his  membership  (less  any  deficiency  payments  reimbursed  to 
Cheney  Brothers)  bear  to  the  total  contributions  of  all  members 
to  the  benefit  fund  for  the  same  time.  But  female  members,  at  the 
time  of  marriage,  whether  leaving  the  employment  of  the  company 
or  not,  may  at  their  option  receive,  upon  presentation  of  marriage 
certificate,  the  amount  ascertained  as  aforesaid  with  interest  at  4 
per  cent  compounded  annually. 

Section  6.  If  a  member  shall  die  before  receiving  an  annuity  to 
which  he  has  become  entitled,  there  shall  be  paid  to  his  beneficiary 
the  amount  payable  in  the  case  of  a  withdrawal  from  membership' 
ascertained  as  provided  in  sections  4  and  5,  but  with  interest  at  four 
per  cent  compounded  annually. 

Section  7.  An  annuity  shall  revert  to  and  become  a  part  of  the 
reserve  fund  of  the  association  if  the  member  otherwise  entitled 
thereto  shall  assign  or  attempt  to  assign  or  transfer  such  annuity 
without  the  written  approval  of  the  superintendent. 


BENEFIT   ASSOCIATION — CHENEY   BROTHERS        495 


ARTICLE  X — STATUTORY  BENEFITS 

Section  I.  Statutory  members  shall  receive  the  compensation 
established  by  and  subject  to  the  conditions  of  the  compensation 
laws  of  the  state  of  Connecticut.  Full  and  limited  members  may 
receive  in  addition  to  said  compensation,  accident  and  death  benefits 
as  determined  by  articles  VII  and  VIII  of  the  by-laws. 


ARTICLE  XI — AVERAGE  WAGES 

Section  I.  The  average  wages  in  all  cases  of  compensation  pay- 
able by  law  and  of  accident  benefits  under  article  VII,  shall  be 
ascertained  by  dividing  the  total  wages  received  by  the  injured 
workman  during  the  180  calendar  days  immediately  preceding  that 
during  which  he  was  injured  by  the  number  of  days  he  was  regularly 
employed,  provided  in  making  such  computation,  absence  for  as  many 
consecutive  work  hours  as  the  workman  was  regularly  employed  in  a 
working  day  shall  be  considered  as  absence  for  a  work  day,  although 
not  in  the  same  calendar  day  and  shall  be  deducted  in  determining 
the  divisor  above. 


ARTICLE  XII — FISCAL  YEAR  AND  MEETINGS  OF  BOARD  OF  TRUSTEES 

Section  I.  The  fiscal  year  of  the  association  shall  be  the  twelve 
months  beginning  April  I,  and  ending  March  31. 

Section  2.  The  board  of  trustees  shall  hold  stated  quarterly 
meetings  at  the  office  of  Cheney  Brothers  in  South  Manchester, 
Connecticut,  at  2  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  of  the  second  Thursday 
(Friday  if  Thursday  is  a  legal  holiday)  of  April,  July,  October,  and 
January. 

Section  3.  The  annual  election  of  officers  of  the  board  of  trustees 
shall  be  held  at  the  April  meeting,  which  shall  be  known  as  the 
annual  meeting  of  the  board  of  trustees. 

Section  4.  Special  meetings  may  be  held  at  any  time  on  the 
call  of  the  president  and  treasurer  or  of  any  three  trustees,  provided 
three  days'  notice  in  writing  is  given  by  the  secretary  of  the  associa- 
tion of  such  meeting  to  every  member  of  the  board  of  trustees; 
or  on  shorter  notice  if  all  of  the  members  of  the  board  of  trustees 
agree  thereto. 


496  APPENDIX 


ARTICLE  XIII — ELECTION  OF  TRUSTEES 

Section  I.  Not  less  than  two  weeks  before  the  annual  meeting 
of  the  board  of  trustees,  the  superintendent  shall  furnish  every 
member  of  the  association  eligible  to  vote,  with  a  blank  form  for 
the  nomination  of  a  trustee,  as  follows: 

BENEFIT  ASSOCIATION  OF  CHENEY  BROTHERS 
Ballot  for  Nomination  of  a  Trustee 

I  (name  of  member),  a  member  of  'Class in  the 

Department,    do    hereby    nominate    (name    of 

nominee),    as   a   Trustee   of   the   Benefit   Association   of   Cheney 
Brothers  for  the  five  year  term  from  (date)  to  (date). 

Signed 

The  term  of  (name),  as  a  Trustee  of  the  Benefit  Association  of 
Cheney  Brothers,  expires  on  (date). 

The  blank  nominating  ballot,  as  specified  in  this  section,  shall 
be  placed  in  the  pay  envelope  of  each  full  or  limited  member,  or 
distributed  in  any  other  manner  which  the  trustees  may  prescribe. 
These  ballots  shall  be  filled  out  by  the  members  and  collected  and 
returned  to  the  president  of  the  association  in  such  manner  as  the 
trustees  may  from  time  to  time  prescribe. 

Section  2.  The  trustees  representing  the  members  shall  canvass 
the  nominating  vote  and  prepare  a  formal  ballot  containing  the 
names  of  five  nominees  eligible  to  the  office  of  trustee,  which  is  to  be 
vacated,  from  those  who  received  the  highest  number  of  votes  on  the 
nominating  ballot. 

Section  3.  Not  less  than  one  week  before  the  annual  meeting 
of  the  board  of  trustees  a  formal  vote  for  the  election  of  a  trustee 
to  represent  the  members  shall  be  taken  on  the  ballots  prescribed 
in  section  2,  above,  which  shall  be  collected  in  such  manner  as  the 
trustees  may  from  time  to  time  direct,  by  tellers  to  be  appointed 
by  the  trustees  representing  the  members,  and  the  person  receiving 
the  highest  number  of  votes  shall  be  declared  elected  a  trustee. 
Trustees  shall  not  vote  on  the  election  of  a  trustee  except  in  cases 
of  a  tie  vote. 

Section  4.  Not  more  than  two  trustees  shall  be  employed  at  the 
date  of  their  election,  in  any  one  department. 


BENEFIT  ASSOCIATION — CHENEY   BROTHERS        497 


ARTICLE  XIV — AMENDMENTS  TO  THE  BY-LAWS 

Section  I.  Amendments  to  the  by-laws  may  be  made  with  the 
approval  of  a  majority  of  the  trustees  representing  the  company, 
and  a  majority  of  the  trustees  representing  the  members;  provided 
that  not  less  than  one  month  shall  have  intervened  between  the 
presentation  in  writing  to  the  board  of  trustees  of  a  proposed  amend- 
ment and  its  final  passage. 


PENSION  SYSTEM 

The  following  amendments  to  the  regulations  of  the  board  of 
directors  of  Cheney  Brothers  were  approved  June  7,  1910.  Their 
purpose  is  to  systematize  the  present  practice  of  the  company  as 
regards  pensions,  with  a  view  to  more  clearly  recognizing  and  reward- 
ing long,  efficient,  and  loyal  services. 

PENSION  COMMITTEE 

1.  The  pension  system  shall  be  in  the  charge  of  a  pension  com- 
mittee of  three  members  to  be  appointed  annually  by  the  directors 
of    Cheney    Brothers    at    the    first    regular    meeting,    or    subsequent 
meeting    following   the   annual   meeting   of   the    stockholders.     The 
pension  committee  shall  serve,  subject  to  removal  by  the  board  of 
directors,  for  one  year  or  until  their  successors  are  appointed  and 
installed. 

2.  Pensions   may   be   granted   by   the   pension   committee   in   ac- 
cordance with  the  rules  herein  contained  and  under  such  rules  and 
regulations   as   the   committee  may   establish   with   the   approval   of 
the  board  of  directors  of  Cheney  Brothers.    All  new  pensions,  which 
shall  be  granted  by  the  pension  committee,  shall  be  reported  to  the 
board  of  directors  at  the  next  regular  meeting  after  such  pensions 
shall  have  been  granted. 

PENSIONERS 

3.  Pensions   may   be    granted   to    retired    employees    of   Cheney 
Brothers  and  of  any  company  owned,  operated,  or  controlled  by  it, 
in  whatsoever  capacity  engaged  in  the  following  cases : 

(a)  Any  employee  over  fifty  years  of  age,  twenty-five  or  more 
years  in  the  service,  who  has  become  totally  incapacitated  for  further 
service  in  any  employment;  or  any  employees  of  as  many  years 


498  APPENDIX 

of  age  less  than  fifty  as  they  have  given  years  of  service  in  excess 
of  twenty-five,  if  totally  incapacitated  for  further  service  in  any 
employment,  may  be  granted  a  pension  by  the  pension  committee. 

(b)  Any  male  employee   from  sixty-five  to  sixty-nine  years  of 
age  inclusive,  twenty-five  or  more  years  in  the  service,  who  has 
become  incapacitated  for  work  of  a  like  character  to  his  past  trade 
or  employment,  may  make  application  or  be  recommended  for  retire- 
ment;  and  the  pension  committee  shall  decide  whether   or  not  he 
shall   be   granted   a   pension   or   given   employment   of   a   different 
character;  or  parts  of  both. 

(c)  All  male  employees  who  shall  have  been  twenty-five  or  more 
years  in  service  shall  be  retired  on  the  first  day  of  the  calendar 
month  following  that  in  which  they  shall  have  attained  the  age  of 
seventy,  unless  in  any  case  the  pension  committee  shall  fix  a  later 
date  for  such  retirement.    To  employees  so  retired  pensions  may  be 
granted  by  the  pension  committee. 

(d)  Any  female  employed,  from  fifty-five  to  fifty-nine  years  of 
age  inclusive,  twenty  or  more  years   in  service,  who  has  become 
incapacitated   for   work   of   a   like   character  to   her   past   trade   or 
employment  may  make  application   or  be  recommended   for  retire- 
ment, and  the  pension  committee  shall  decide  whether  or  not  she  shall 
be  granted  a  pension  or  given  employment  of  a  different  character; 
or  parts  of  both. 

(e)  All  female  employees  twenty  or  more  years  in  the  service 
shall  be  retired  at  the  age  of  sixty  on  the  first  day  of  the  calendar 
month   following  that  in  which  they  shall  have  attained  such  age, 
unless  in  any  case  the  pension  committee  shall  fix  a  later  date  for 
such  retirement.     To  employees  so  retired  pensions  may  be  granted 
by  the  pension  committee. 

(f)  A  physical  examination  by  one  or  more  physicians  appointed 
by  the  pension  committee  may  be  required  of  any  employee  applying 
for  a  pension  on  the  grounds  of  incapacity. 

(g)  Male  and  female  employees  who  shall  occupy  executive,  ad- 
ministrative, or  clerical  positions  shall  be  exempt  from  the  maximum 
age  limit. 

DEFINITIONS 

4.  The  terms  "service"  and  "in  the  service"  shall  apply  to  all 
employees  of  Cheney  Brothers  and  of  any  company  owned,  operated, 
or  controlled  by  it,  who  receive  a  stated  and  regular  compensation 
from  any  of  said  companies. 


BENEFIT  ASSOCIATION — CHENEY   BROTHERS        499 

5.  The  term  of  service  must  be  continuous  and  shall  be  computed 
from  the  date  the  employee  commenced  service  with  the  original 
company,  the  property  and  business  of  which  shall  have  been  acquired 
by  Cheney  Brothers,  except  as  stated  in  paragraphs  6  and  7. 

6.  A  temporary  lay-off  on  account  of  illness  or  of  a  reduction 
of  force  shall  not  be  considered  a  break  in  the  continuity  of  service, 
but,  if  absence  from  either  of  such  causes  shall  exceed  six  consecutive 
months,  it  shall  be  deducted  in  computing  the  length  of  active  service. 

7.  The  length  of  service  of  any  person  who  shall  terminate  his 
employment  without  notice  of  leave  and  is  afterwards  re-employed 
may  be  computed  from  the  date  of  re-employment:  and  that  of  any 
person  who  is  re-employed  after  an  absence  of  two  years  or  more 
shall  be  computed  from  the  date  of  re-employment. 

AMOUNT  OF  PENSIONS  AND  CONDITIONS 

8.  The  committee  on  pensions  may  authorize  the  treasurer  of  the 
company  to  pay  monthly  to  an  employee  who  shall  be   retired  as 
aforesaid   10  per  cent  of  the  average  actual  monthly  pay  of  such 
employee  during  the  ten  years  next  preceding  retirement,  with  an 
additional  I  per  cent  of  the  same  rate  for  every  year  of  service; 
except  that  in  case  of  pensions  granted  on  the  grounds  of  total 
incapacity  for  work  at  any  employment,  the  pension  committee  may 
at  their  discretion  authorize  the  deduction  of  an  amount  from  the 
pension  of  not  to  exceed  i  per  cent  for  each  year  of  age  less  than 
sixty-five  for  men  and  fifty-five  for  women. 

9.  Pension  allowances  shall  be  paid  on  the  first  working  day  of 
each  month  from  the  date  of  retirement  unless  suspended  by  the 
pension  committee  as  provided  in  paragraph  15. 

10.  The  pension  committee  may  in  its  discretion  direct  that  pen- 
sion allowances  be  continued  to  the  widow  and  children,  or  either, 
of  a  pensioner  for  such  period  as  to  the  committee,  may  seem  proper. 

11.  Pensioners  retired  from  active  service  may  be  required  by  the 
pension  committee  to   perform  such   services   for  the   company  as 
are  suited  to  their  capacity,  but  the  acceptance  of  a  pension  shall 
not  debar   a   pensioner   from  engaging  in  any  business   which,   in 
the  judgment  of  the  pension  committee,  will  not  be  prejudicial  to 
his    obligations    to    Cheney    Brothers    or    to    any    company    owned, 
operated,  or  controlled  by  it,  as  defined  in  this  paragraph. 

12.  No   pension   may  be   granted   by   the   pension    committee   to 


500  APPENDIX 

any  employee,  eligible  either  to  full  or  limited  membership  in  the 
Benefit  Association  of  Cheney  Brothers,  who  is  not  a  member  in 
good  standing  of  such  benefit  association.  No  pension  grant  shall 
become  effective  and  operative  until  after  the  payments  of  all  sickness 
and  accident  benefits  which  the  pensioner  may  be  entitled  to  receive 
from  the  Benefit  Association  of  Cheney  Brothers  shall  have  ceased. 

13.  Nothing   herein   contained,   nor    the   establishment   or   main- 
tenance of  a  pension  system,  nor  the  grant  of  any  pension,  nor  any 
other   action   now   or   hereafter   taken   by  the   company   or   by   the 
pension  committee  in  relation  thereto,  shall  be  or  be  construed  as 
a  contract  or  to  give  to  any  officer,  agent,  or  employee  any  right 
to  be  retained  in  the  service  of  the  company  or  of  any  company 
owned,  operated,  or  controlled  by  the  company,  or  to  give  to  any 
officer,    agent,    or   employee    any    right   to    any   pension,    or   to    the 
continuance  of  any  pension  which  may  be  granted. 

14.  The   company  expressly  reserves,   regardless  of  anything  in 
these  rules  contained,  the  right  to  discharge,  without  liability  other 
than  for  salary  or  wages  due  and  unpaid,  any  employee  at  any  time, 
whenever  in  the  judgment  of  the  officers  of  the  company,  the  interests 
of  the  latter  may  so  require. 

15.  Regardless    of    anything   herein    contained    the    directors    of 
Cheney  Brothers  may  at  any  time  grant  pensions  where  the  terms 
of  service  are  less  than  twenty-five  years  for  men,  or  twenty  years 
for  women,   or   to   persons   or   for   ages   and   in   amounts   different 
from  those   in  these    rules   set   forth;   and   such   pensions   and   any 
pensions  granted  under  these  rules  may  at  any  time  and  from  time 
to  time  be  suspended  or  terminated  without  any  liability  whatsoever 
to  the  pensioner. 

How  TO  SECURE  A  PENSION 

16.  An  employee  who  wishes  to  obtain  a  pension  may  apply  to 
the  superintendent  at  the  works  in  which  he  is  employed  or  to  the 
head  of  the  department  in  which  he  is  serving,  who,  in  turn,  will 
report  such  application  to  the  pension  committee.    A  form  of  applica- 
tion will  then  be  furnished,  in  which  must  be  set  forth  the  applicant's 
age,  length  of  service,  and  wages.     This  application  must  be  filled 
out  and  signed  by  the  applicant  and  by  the  work's  superintendent, 
or  head  of  the  department  in  which  the  applicant  is  employed  and 
when  thus  completed  to  be  presented  to  the  secretary  of  the  pension 
committee  at  his  office. 


BENEFIT   ASSOCIATION CHENEY    BROTHERS         5O1 


TERMINATION  OR  SUSPENSION  OF  A  PENSION 

17.  The  pension  committee  shall  keep  informed  as  to  the  where- 
abouts  and  physical   condition   of  pensioners,  and   shall  advise  the 
treasurer  of  the  company  of  the  death  of  any  pensioner  and  of  the 
suspension  or  termination  of  any  pension,  and  of  any  other  circum- 
stances which  may  affect  any  monthly  payment  to  be  made  by  the 
treasurer.     A  receipt  shall  be  required  for  every  pension  payment. 
The  pension  committee  may   at  its  discretion   suspend  the  pension 
of  any  person   who    fails  to   advise   them  monthly  of  his   physical 
condition  or  whereabouts. 

1 8.  No  pension  shall  be  pledged  or  transferred  without  the  written 
consent  of  the  Pension  Committee. 

19.  Pension  allowance  may  be  ^ispended  temporarily  or  terminated 
in  the  case  of  gross  misconduct,  or  in  the  event  of  any  attempt  to 
assign,  transfer,  or  pledge  the  same.     The  pension  committee  may 
in  its  discretion  pay  the  whole  or  part  of  a  pension  to  an  institution, 
home  or  person  other  than  the  pensioner  for  his  or  her  care  and 
maintenance. 

ESTIMATE  OF  AMOUNT  OF  PENSIONS  FOR  VARIOUS  RATES  OF  WAGES  AND 

TERMS  OF  SERVICE 


Term 
of 
Service 

Average  Monthly  Rate  of  Wages 

$36 

$40 

$45 

$50 

$60 

$70 

$80 

$90 

$100 

$30.00 

20  years.  . 

$10.80 

$12.00 

$13-50 

$15.00 

$18.00 

$21.00 

$24.00 

$27.00 

25     "     .- 

12.60 

I4.OO 

15-75 

I7-50 

21.00 

24.50 

28.00 

31.50 

35-00 

30     "     .. 

14.40 

16.00 

18.00 

20.00 

24.OO 

28.00 

32.00 

36.00 

40.00 

35     "     -• 

16.20 

18.00 

20.25 

22.50 

27.0O 

31-50 

36.00 

40.50 

45-00 

40     "     .. 

18.00 

20.00 

22.50 

25.00 

30.00 

35-00 

40.00 

45.00 

50.00 

45     "     .. 

19.80 

22.00 

24-75 

27.50 

33-00 

38-50 

44.00 

49-50 

55-oo 

50     "     .. 

21.60 

24.00 

27.00 

30.00 

36.00 

42.00 

48.00 

54-00 

60.00 

55     "     .. 

23.40 

26.00 

29-25 

32-50 

39-00 

45-50 

52.00 

58-50 

65.00 

502  APPENDIX 


CERTIFICATE    OF    ILLNESS 

TO   THE    BENEFIT  ASSOCIATION    OF    CHENEY    BROTHERS 

I    CERTIFY   THAT 
M  -  -  (FULL  NAME) 


(STREET) 


.(TOWN) 


IS  UNDER    MY  PROFESSIONAL   CARE    AND    TREATMENT    FOR 


PARTIALLY 

AND    IS   WHOLLY    DISQUALIFIED    FROM    PURSUING    H USUAL 

VOCATION. 


-M.D. 


.19 


THIS  CERTIFICATE  MUST  BE  MAILED  OR  DELIVERED  TO  THE  BENEFIT 
ASSOCIATION  OFFICE  OF  CHENEY  BROTHERS  AND  NOT  TO  TIME  KEEPERS. 

IF  THIS  IS  NOT  DONE  THE  RESPONSIBILITY  FOR  ERROR  IS  WHOLLY  UPON 
THE  MEMBER  APPLYING  FOR  BENEFIT. 


Figure  29.     Certificate  of  Illness.     (Size  5%  x  5%.) 

This  form  is  used  in  checking  up  employees  entitled  to  compensation  in  accordance  with 

the  constitution    and  by-laws  of  the   Benefit   Association   of  Cheney   Brothers.     For  a 

complete  discussion  of  benefit  associations,  see  Chapter  XXIII. 


BENEFIT  ASSOCIATION — CHENEY  BROTHERS        503 


NOTICE  OF  MEMBERSHIP  IN  THE 
BENEFIT  ASSOCIATION  OF  CHENEY  BROTHERS 

South  Manchester,  Conn.,.. 19. 


You  are  hereby  notified  that  from  the  date  of  your  entering  the  employment  of  Cheney 
Brothers  you  have  been  enrolled  as  a  statutory  member  of  the  Benefit  Association  of  Cheney 
Brothers  and  are  thereby  eligible  to  any  compensation  provided  by  law. 

You  are  hereby  further  notified  that  you  are  eligible  for  f^ited  membership  in  Class 

of  such  Association,  entitled  to  the  benefits  thereof  and  subject  to  to*  conditions  of  the  Constitu- 
tion and  By-Laws  of  the  Association,  a  copy  of  which  is  enclosed  herewith. 

Unless  written  notice  of  your  wish  not  to  accept  such  membership  is  received  before 

you  will  be  enrolled  as  a  iSSued  member  of  Class ,  dating 

from...... t  a  certificate  lifted  membership  will  be  issued  to  you  and  a  deduction 

of. cents  per  week  will  be  made  from  your  waees  thereafter. 

Signed: 


fioperintendcnt  Benefit  Association. 

NOTE:— Form*  tor  the  rejection  of  membership  may  be  obtained  from  the  Superintendent  of  the 
Association  at  the  Main  Office  of  Cheney  Brothers. 


Figure  30.    Sample  Notice  of  Membership  in  Benefit  Association. 

(Size  7^x4^.) 
For  a  specimen  form  for  the  rejection  of  membership,  see  Figure  31. 


504 


APPENDIX 


FORM  FOR  THE  REJECTION  OF  FULL  MEMBERSHIP 

IN  THE 
BENEFIT  ASSOCIATION  OF  CHENEY  BROTHERS 


I  hereby  decline  to  be  enrolled  as  a  full  member  of  the  Benefit  Association  of 
Cheney  Brothers,  in  accordance  with  the  terms  of  its  notice  to  me. 


Signed... 


Date.. 


Figure  3 1 .     Form  for  the  Rejection  of  Full  Membership  in  Benefit  Association. 

(Size  6^x3%.) 

Unless  an  employee  signifies  a  wish  not  to  accept  membership,  he  is  usually  enrolled  in 
accordance  with  che  terms  of  the  notice  (Figure  30)  sent. 


CERTIFICATE  OF  FULL  MEMBERSHIP 

IN  THE 

BENEFIT  ASSOCIATION  OF  "CHENEY  BROTHERS 


No 

This  Certifies  that. 


Date. 


of , in.  the  State  of  Connecticut  is  a  Full  Member 

of  the  Benefit  Association  of  Cheney  Brothers,  entitled  to  the  benefits  and  privileges  of 
membership  and  subject  to  the  obligations  thereof  in  accordance  widi  the  Constitution 
and  By-Laws  of  the  Association  and  the  conditions  on  the  reverse  side  of  th/5  Certificate. 

Membership  shall  be  in  effect  from  the -^.^r.^. _day 


Signed  by 


Superintendent  of  lh*  Benefit  A,Kci<Uian  of  Ch,ney 

For  terms  of  membership  see  reverse  sick 


Figure  32.     (a)  Certificate  of  Full  Membership  in  Benefit  Association  (face). 

(Size  6Y2 


BENEFIT  ASSOCIATION — CHENEY  BROTHERS        5°5 


7TERMS  OF  MEMBERSHIP., 

"""Membership  is  accepted  by  the  person  named  in 
this  Certificate  upon  the  following  terms:     •**&*»3AI)ft£ 

(a)  That  he  shall  be  bound  by  the  Constitution 
and  By-Laws  of  the  Association  and  by  all  amend- 
ments thereto,  and  all  rules  and  regulations  in  force 
during  the  term  of  their  membership. 

(b)  That  his  habits  of  life  are  correct  and  tem- 
perate; that  he  is  in  sound  condition,  mentally  and 
physically,  except  as  set  forth  in  the  statement  made 
by  him  to  the  Superintendent  or  his  agent.     (Article 
VIII,  Section  13  of  the  By-Laws.) 

(c)  That  unless  a  member  shall  otherwise  designate 
in  writing  with  the  approval  of  the  Superintendent  of 
the    Association    death    benefits    in    excess   of  those 
required  by  law  under  Article  VII,  and  death  benefits 
from  sickness  under  Article- V  and  VI  shall  be  paid  to 
the  dependents  of  the  deceased,  if  any,  in  accordance 
to  the  relative  degrees  of  their  dependency  existing  at 
the  time  or  times  of  pavment,  as  determined  by  the 
trustees,  whose  decision  shall  be  final  as  to  all  questions 
of  dependency.     •  •*-'<*  MAIfH 

That  unless  a  member  shall  otherwise  designate  in 
writing  with  the  approval  of  the  Superintendent  of  the 
Association  death  benefits  described  in  the  above  para- 
graph in  case  there  are  no  dependents  shall  be  payable 
as  follows  and  in  the  following  order:  (1)  to  the  widow 
(husband)  if  surviving;  or  (2)  if  there  be  no  widow 
(husband)  to  the  surviving  children  and  the  children 
of  anv  deceased*  child  or  children,  the  children  of  a 
deceased  child  to  take  the  parent's  share;  or  (3)  if  there 
shall  be  no  child  of  said  member,  or  child  or  children  of 


a  deceased  child  or  children,  to  the  surviving  parents 
or  parent;  or  (4)  if  there  be  no  surviving  parent,  then 
to  the  next  of  kin,  payment  in  behalf  of  such  kin  to  be 
made  to  the  executor  or  administrator;  or  (5)  if  there 
be  no  next  of  km,  or  if  claim  shall  not  be  made  by  the 
person  or  persons  entitled  thereto  within  two  years 
from  the  date  of  the  member's  death,  the  amount  of 
the  death  benefit  shall  be  paid  into  and  become  a  part 
of  the  Reserve  Fund  of  the  Association. 

(rf)  If  any  statement  made  by  the  member  to  the 
Superintendent  or  his  agent  shall  be  untrue  or  fraudu- 
lent or  if  he  shall  have  concealed  any  facts  or  shall  have 
resigned  from  or  left  voluntarily  or  otherwise  the 
service  of  Cheney  Brothers  or  any  company  owned, 
operated  or  controlled  by  it,  all  his  rights  and  priv- 
ileges to  full  or  limited  membership  in  the  Association 
and  claims  to  benefits  arising  therefrom  shall  term- 
inate, except  his  nght  to  the  amounts  contributed  to 
the  annuities  specified  in  Article  IX  of  the  By-Laws 
and  except  that  the  termination  of  employment  shall 
not,  in  the  absence  of  any  other  causes  of  termina- 
tion of  membership,  deprive  him  of  benefits  to  which 
he  may  be  entitled  by  reason  of  disability  beginning 
and  reported  before  and  continuing  after  the  termi- 
nation of  employment.  (Article  I,  Section  6.  Article 
VIII,  Section  13  of  the  By-Laws.)  A 

(f)  That  Cheney  Brothers  by  its  proper  agents  may 
during  the  continuance  of  his  membership  apply  as  a 
voluntary  contribution  from  any  wages  earned  by 
^him  in  their  employment  such  contributions  as  the 
trustees  may  establish  for  the  purpose  of  securing  the 
benefits  provided  in  the  By-Laws  for  a  member  of  this 
Association.  ^  — 

(Article  III,  Section  2  of  the  By-Laws.)  f 


Figure  32.     (b)  Terms  of  Full  Membership  in  Benefit  Association  (reverse) 


No. 


CERTIFICATE  OF  LIMITED  MEMBERSHIP 

IN  THE 

BENEFIT  ASSOCIATION  OF  CHENEY  BROTHERS 
Date 


This  Certifies  that..  _____  ......  ___  .............  „.. 

°'"—  ......  "  ..........  y~~  ----  •«•  ------------  in  the  State  of  Connecticut,  is  a  Limited  Member 

of  the  Benefit  Association  of  Cheney  Brothers,  entitled  to  the  benefits  and  privileges  of 

membership  and  subject  to  the  obligations  thereof  in  accordance  with  the  Constitution 

and  By-Laws  of  the  Association  and  the  conditions  on  the  reverse  side  of  this  Certificate. 

Membership  shall  be  in  effect  from  rti»..  ,.  ,  ,  .  IJ:IJL:  ____  ,  ______  ________  . 

of  .«....„...„.„..„.„.  la* 

Signed  by 


jay 


S*toriHttndent  of  the  Benefit  Atsociatifn  of  Cheney  Brothers, 
For  terms' of  membership  see  reverse  side 


Figure  33.     Certificate  of  Limited  Membership  in  Benefit  Association  (face) . 

(Size  6^x414.) 
On  reverse  of  this  certificate  appear  the  terms  of  membership  as  shown  in  Figure  32b. 


5°6  APPENDIX 


ACCIDENT  REPORT 

fTo  'be  filled  in  by  $0tte. one  designated  person  in  each  department  as  soon  aspossfote  after  the  occurrence  ofTSe  acddeEl} 

Date . 

Date  of  accidents ,,  _r  _  \,n»r 

Name  of  injured  pcrsoti, ..  ^ 

Address  ________ -  •  Place  of  Accident-_______ 

Aver,  wages  for 
Occupation. , k ^ . i^t  13  weeks   -.-    - 

Under  whose  immediate  direction  w.as  the  work  being  done? 

Nature  and  extent  of  injury., _.. _,_...„-,. ,.„__,___ „,„ __, ..,._. . 


How  did  the  accident  occur?_. 


Was  surgical  aid  rendered? . . By  whom?_ 

When? Where? 

Where  was  the  injured  person  finally  taken?— __.- 

In  Case  of  Serious  Accident: 

Who  ?a\V  acriflpnt      ljr. t      .....-....._,_ 


Description  of  accident  by  eye  witnesses 


Sigied- 


Figure  34.     (a)  Accident  Report  Blank  (first  page).     (Size 


BENEFIT   ASSOCIATION — CHENEY   BROTHERS        5°7 


(To  be  filled  in  by  Superintendent  of  Benefiit  Association) 


Number  pf  dependent  children  under  sixteen    ...  , 


:jnember  of'fceriefit  Association? 


Ho^Iong  In  fhe  service*  of  the  Compatiy'?'. 
JPfobafcle  duratidn  of  disability  from' employment— 


Sldiement  of  Foreman  ;  fTo  be  filled  in  by  Company's  Inspectorl 

"Was  accident  due  to:—  |a)  tfant  "of  ordinary  care  on  the  part  of  the  injured  person?--  ----  _ 

(b)  on  the  part  of  fellow  workman?  _  _,  _  ;  _  ,      r 


'•(c)  any  defect  in  machinery.  tools  or  plntit? 
H&d  He  defeat  )>eeh  reported  to  you?  -  a-,,.,    If  so,  when? 
ttadtiny  steps  been  taken  to  remedy  »^   , 


3.    Did  the  injury  occur  in  the  necessary  performance  of  work  connected  with  the  job  on  which  the 

persotrwas  omplnyg/w 
4:    How'long  had  injured  person  been  employed  on  this  particular  ]*H>  -    -.  _  .  -  -    -    1 


Does  person  understand  F.ngli^h?; 


Had  the  person  been  prpperly  instructed  as'  to  the  danger  of  accident  connected  with  the  job? 
,.  .    ,   .   , -_When?. _— , 


r6t    Was  thcr,e  evidence  of  intoxication;  its  after  effectls  or  habitual  f«»^ 

Of  aisibedicnce  of  orders? : 

Ol  violation  of  rules?—* _ — ...'.01  fooling  or  fighting? _ 

6.    ^as  the  ibjury  due  to  unprotected 'gears,  belts,  or  dangerous  parts?,. 


Were  thfere  other  dang'erous'stujctural  conditions  than  the  above  in  the  machinery  or  appliances? 


Was  machinery  in  any'way  ou\  of  order  or  ill-suited  Co  the  work?__. 
7.    tyas  the  light  at  place  of  accident  good?_ -,    .      .---. 


'  8;  'Previous  to'the  injury  had  any  ste£s  been  taken  to  remedy  known  defects  or  probable  causes? 


Since  the  injury  have  any  measures  been  taken  to  prevent  a  recurrence  of  similar  accidents? 


Figure  34.     (b)  Accident  Report  Blank  (second  page) 


508  APPENDIX 


(Report  ofExaminina  Committee: 

.  This  accident  should  be  classified  as  due  to  the  / 

'Fault  of  injured  person _ „ 

(Fault  of  fellow  workman 

'Fault  of  employer 

iFault  of  both  employer  and  employee 


;  Hazard  of  the  trade 


Report  of  Medical  Examiner: 

First  aid  given ^ Jjour_ 

.  Number  of  office  treatments ,_.  -: 

:  Number  of  house  treatments 

Case  sent  to  hospital _ 

Cost  of  drugs  and  dressings 

Case  discharged _ „ „ 

i  Ordered  to  report  for  work  ori „„,.,.„„..,-..-,..-,.-„,.-,..        „,. ,  ,,  -„,-„,-, 

DESCRIPTION  OF  CASE: 


Figure  34.     (c)  Accident  Report  Blank  (third  page) 


BENEFIT   ASSOCIATION CHENEY    BROTHERS         509 


Disposition  of  Case: 


COST 


First  Aid r. 

Statutory  surgical,  medical  care 

Ben.  Ass'n,  surgical,  medical  care 

Hospital  maintenance,  etc 

Statutory. benefits 

Benefit  Association  benefits............. 

Cheney  Brothers'  allowances 

Pe  nsion  _  ..__^j^» ... ___. 


DESCRIPTION 


Figure  34.     (d)  Accident  Report  Blank  (fourth  page) 


APPENDIX 


DISABILITY  RECORD 

Naw*                                                                                                              Case  No. 

CeHif.  No. 

Disability                                                       Benefits                                                Benefits 
Began                                                                Began                                                       Ceased 

WEEK  ENDING 

VISITING  COMMITTEE 

DOCTOR'S  REPORT 

VOUCHER 

Kmrnr 

BENEFIT  ASS 

•CIATION    OT  CHENEY   BROS. 

Figure  35.     (a)  Accident  Disability  Record  Card  (face).     (Size  4x6.) 

The  employee's  accident  disability  record  is  kept  on  a  blue  card  in  order  to  differentiate 
it  easily  from  the  sickness  disability  record  which  is  kept  on  a  white  card. 


ACCIDENT 


Fife  No.  of  accident  report 


Cause 


Was  it  due  to  gross  carelessness  of  injured  person 


Probable  duration  of  injury 


Remarks 


Figure  35.     (b)  Accident  Disability  Record  Card  (reverse) 


BENEFIT  ASSOCIATION — CHENEY   BROTHERS        511 


DISABILITY   RECORD 

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Name                                                                                                                                 CAM  No. 

Dept                                      .                                               Class                                      Certif.  No. 

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Figure  36.     (a)  Sickness  Disability  Record  Card  (face).     (Size  5 M  X4-) 

The  sickness  disability  record  is  a  most  important  source  of  information  for  the  Benefit 

Association.     As  sickness  disability  is  closely  related  to  accident  disability,  these  records 

are  usually  kept  on  differently  colored  cards. 


SICKNESS. 


Diagnosis 


Probable  duration  of  disability 


Attending  Physician 


Remarks. 


Figure  36.     (b)  Sickness  Disability  Record  Card  (reverse) 


512 


APPENDIX 


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INDEX 


Accident  prevention     (See ' '  Safety ' ' ) 
Accident      prevention     score-board, 

256 
Accidents,    167     (See  also   "Benefit 

associations") 
effect  upon  labor,  168 
frequency  rates,  Figure,  239 
lost  time  from,  167,  246 
record  sheet,  246 
reduction,  238,  241 
report  blank,  Figure,  506-509 
statistics,  168 

Advertising  in  plant  newspapers,  304 
Akron,  Ohio, 
housing  plan, 

Firestone  Tire  and  Rubber  Co., 

330 
Goodyear  Tire  and  Rubber  Co., 

330 

Alexander,  Magnus,  F.,  4 
Aliens  (See  "Foreign-born") 
Alpha   Portland   Cement  Co.,  acci- 
dents, 241 
Ambulance    room     (See    "First-aid 

room") 
American  Cast  Iron  Pipe  Co.,  medical 

department,  190 
American  Chain  Co., 
Americanization  work,  153 
mutual  benefit  association,  351 
American  Civic  Association, 

"a  good  home    for    every    wage- 
earner,"  336 
housing  studies,  307 


American  International  Shipbuilding 
Corporation,  industrial  relations 
department,  35 
American  Multigraph  Company 

Center  Punch,  51,  292,  304 
American  Pulley  Co.,  421 
American  Rolling  Mill  Co., 
Americanization  work,  150 
English  classes,  144 
health  work,  144 
medical  department,  189 
American  Smelting  and  Refining  Co., 

pension  system,  369 
American  Sugar  Refining  Co.,  pension 

system,  370 

American  University  of  Trade  and 
Applied     Commerce,     of    John 
Wanamaker  Company,  115 
American  Woolen  Co., 
group  insurance,  365 
housing  plan,  321 
Americanization,  121-134 
aids  to,  148-164 

governmental,  161 
American  Chain  Co.,  153 
American  Rolling  Mill  Co.,  150 
Brown  and  Sharpe  Manufacturing 

Co.,  157 
census  card,  156 
chambers  of  commerce,  162 
committees,  127 
English  classes,  135-147 
W.  H.  McElwain  Co.,  153 
National  Cash  Register  Co.,  402 
National  conference,  136 


515 


INDEX 


Americanization — Continued 
pay  envelope  circulars,  154 
plant  spirit,  129 
recreation  as  aid  to,  217 
Schwartzenbach-Huber  Co.,  125 
Syracuse  Chamber  of  Commerce, 

163 

training  teachers  for,  137 
Amoskeag  Manufacturing  Co.,  hous- 
ing plan,  321 
Annuities  for  service,  369 
Apprenticeship, 
agreement,  451 

Remington  Arms  Co.,  452 
schools,  98 

Cincinnati  Milling  Machine  Co., 

1 08 

Associations  (See  also  "Benefit 
associations,"  "Co-operative  as- 
sociations," and  "Musical  asso- 
ciations") 

for  industrial  training,  120 
for  safety,  447 

Atchison,  Topeka  and  Santa  Fe* 
Railroad  System,  accidents,  118, 
238 

Athletics,  218,  222,  403 
Attendants,  dispensary,  1 86 
Atterbury,  W.,  258 
A  very  Co., 

medical  examinations,  194 
safety  work,  256 
Awards  for  suggestions,  267,  271 

B 

Bancroft,  Joseph,  and  Sons, 

kindergartens,  401 

lunchroom,  282 
Bands     (See  ' '  Brass  bands  ") 
Banks,  co-operative,  355 
Baseball  games,  223 
Bell  Telephone  Co.,  pensions,  372 
Beloit,  Wisconsin, 

Fairbanks  Morse  Co.,  housing  plan, 
322 


Benefit  associations, 

Figures,  502-506,  509-513 
American  Chain  Co.,  351 
Bridgeport  Brass  Co.,  345 
Cheney  Bros.,  473-497 
computation  for  payments,  347 
Dodge    Manufacturing    Co.,    354, 

454-472 

employer's  aid,  341 
failure  due  to  lack  of  financial  skill, 

359 

Flint  Vehicle  Co.,  353 

General  Electric  Co.,  353 

H.  C.  Huyck  and  Sons,  350 

organization,  342 

Pennsylvania  Railroad  Co.,  344 

types,  344-356 

White  Motor  Co.,  349 
Bethlehem,  Pa.,  housing  report,  312 
Bethlehem  Shipbuilding  Corporation, 
96 

employees'  service  department,  28 

industrial  relations  department,  35 

medical  department,  179 
Bethlehem  Steel  Coporation,  35,  121 

brass  band,  229 

English  classes,  137,  140 

first-aid  training,  206 
Bloomfield,    Daniel,     "  Employment 

management,"  55 
Bloomfield,  Meyer, 

"Handbook  on  Employment  Man- 
agement," 421 

"Relation  of  Foremen  to  the  Work- 
ing Force,"  83 

Bolen,  G.  L.,  "Getting  a  Living,"  18 
Bonuses,   E.   A.   Mallory  and  Sons, 

374 

Boston  University,  training  course  for 

industrial  nurses,  187 
Bourne  Mills,  profit-sharing,  375 
Bradley  Knitting  Co.,  housing  plan, 

332 

Brass  band,  227 
cost  of,  228 


INDEX 


517 


Bridgeport  Brass  Co.,  benefit  associ- 
ation, 345 
Bridgeport,    Conn.,    housing   report, 

3ii 

British  Ministry  of  Munitions,  study 
of  industrial  restaurants,  276 

Britton,  Dr.  James  A.,  179 

Brown   and    Sharpe    Manufacturing 

Co., 

Americanization  work,  157 
training  system,  106 

Budget  for  employees'  service  depart- 
ment, 54 

Building  and  loan  associations     (See 
"Housing  plans") 

Bulletin  Boards  for  safety  work,  254 

Burritt,    A.    W.    Co.,    profit-sharing 
plan,  379 

Bush  Terminal,  recreation  work,  225 

Business  manager  of  plant  newspaper, 
303 


Cadbury  Bros.,  medical  examinations, 

196 
Cadillac  Motor  Car  Co., 

accidents,  240 

restaurant,  282 

Cafeterias  (See  "Lunchrooms") 
Caldwell,  Dr.  Charles  P.,  318 
California  commission  on  housing  and 

immigration,  130 
Candee,  L.  Co., 

employees'  service  department,  28 

English  classes,  145 
Canteens,  65 
Carnegie  Steel  Co., 

English  classes,  146 

medical  department,  179 
Cartoons  in  plant  newspapers,  294 
Census  in  Americanization  work,  156 
Center  Punch,  American  Multigraph 

Co.,  51,  292,  304 

Chambers  of  commerce,  Americaniza- 
tion work,  162 


Chandler,  W.  L.,  256,  354 
Cheney  Bros., 

benefit  association  by-laws,  473-497 
pension  system,  497-501 
Chester    Shipbuilding    Co.,    English 

classes,  143 
Chicago, 

Americanization  work,  161 
Municipal     Tuberculosis     Sanita- 
rium, 318 

Tuberculosis  Institute,  Report  of 
Committee  on  Factories,  1913, 
179 

Choral  societies  (See  "Glee  clubs") 
Cincinnati     Milling     Machine     Co., 

apprenticeship  system,  108 
Cincinnati  Planer  Co.,  group  insur- 
ance, 363 

Cities,  recreation  work.  214 
Citizenship,     157,     159,      (See    also 

"  Americanization  ") 
circulars  urging,  154 
Civic  centers,  392 
Civics  and  industry,  390-409 
Clark  Equipment  Co.,  housing  plan, 

324 
Classes  for  foreign-born, 

attendance  problem,  138,  141 
English,  136 
Cleveland,  Ohio, 

Americanization  work,  161 
Chamber  of  Commerce,  American- 
ization work,  163 
housing  report,  312 
Cleveland-Cliffs    Iron    Co.,    English 

classes,  144 

Cleveland  Worsted  Mills  Co.,  lunch- 
room, 281 

Clinics,  industrial,  177 
Cloak  and  suit  industry,  labor  turn- 
over, 8 

Cloakrooms,  66 
Clubhouses,  219 

Colorado  Fuel  and  Iron  Co.,  recre- 
ation work,  223 


INDEX 


Committees, 

employees'  service  department,  28 

safety  organization,  432 
Commonwealth  Edison  Co.,    sugges- 
tion system,  274 
Commonwealth  Steel  Co.,  75,  237 

accidents  to  non-English-speaking 
employees,  146 

brass  band,  229 

Commonwsalther,  295 

lunchroom,  279 
Community  Motion  Picture  Bureau, 

151 

Community  organization,  relation  to 

industry,  390-409 
Community  secretaries,  392 
Community  service, 

Merchant  Shipbuilding  Co.,  399 
National  Cash  Register  Co.,  395 
Norton  Co.,  397 
organization  of,  391 
special  industrial  plans,  393-409 
Community  singing,  404 
Conferences, 

employees'  service  department,  44 
plant  newspapers,  302 
Converse  Rubber  Shoe  Co.,  English 

classes,  146 
Co-operation, 

employer    and    community,    207, 

390-409 

in  Americanization,  160 
employer  and  employee,  12,  69-86, 

127 
industry    and    public    education, 

163 

Co-operative  associations,  354       • 
Co-operative  banks,  355 
Co-operative  courses,  99 
Co-operative     plants,     Co-operative 

Boot  and  Shoe  Co.,  356 
Cost  of  hiring,  5 
Cost  of  labor  turnover,  10,  420 
Council  of  National  Defense,  sanitary 

standards,  424 


Country  clubs,  Curtis  Publishing  Co., 

220,  226 
Cramer,  Frank,  "Talks  to  Students 

on  the  Art  of  Study,"  102 
Crandall,  Miss  Ella  P.,  201 
Crane  Co.,  group  insurance,  364 
Curtis  Publishing  Co., 

country  club,  220,  226 

lunchroom,  278 

orchestra,  231 

restrooms,  205 

training  system,  118 


"The  Day's  Work,"  153 
Dearborn,  "How  to  Study,"  102 
Deere  and  Co.,  group  insurance,  364 
Delaware  Council  of  Defense,  159 
Delaware,  naturalization,  159 
Dennison,  Henry  S.,  on  profit-shar- 
ing, 377 
Dental  clinic, 

National  Cash  Register  Co.,  199 

operation  of,  197 
Dental  service,  197 
Detroit  Board  of  Commerce,  162 
Detroit,  labor  turnover,  7 
Dewitt,  C.  C.,  142 
Diet,  importance  of,  276 
Disability  record,  Figure,  510,  511 
Discharge  regulations,  71-74 
Dispensary  attendants,  186 
Dodge  Manufacturing  Co., 

accident    prevention    score-board, 

257 

accidents,  241 
mutual  relief  association,  354 

by-laws,  454-472 
safety  work,  254 
Donnelly,  R.  R.  and  Sons  Co.,  school 

for  printers,  118 
Dramatics,  233 
Draper  Co.,  housing  plan,  331 
DuPont    de    Nemours,    E.    I.    Co., 
group  insurance,  364 


INDEX 


519 


DuPont  Fabrikoid  Co.,    Americani- 
zation work,  153 


Eastern  Manufacturing  Co., 

brass  band,  230 

restrooms,  219 
Eastman  Kodak  Co., 

accidents,  240 

Kodak  Park  Bulletin,  299 

medical  department,  172 

recreation  park,  220 

safety  work,  248,  251 

suggestion  blanks,  264-267 

suggestion  system,  264 

visiting  nurse,  202 
Eclipse  Park,  Beloit,  Wis.,  322 
Edholm,  Charlton,  122 
Edison  Storage  Battery  Co.,  bulle- 
tins, 299 
Edison,  Thomas  A.  Inc.,  employees' 

service  department,  37 
Editors,  of  plant  newspapers,  295,  299 
Education,  402 

Educational  systems     (See   "Indus- 
trial training") 
Efficiency, 

due  to  health  of  workers,  165 

in  labor  maintenance,  3 
Ellsworth  Collieries  Co.,  brass  band, 

230 

Emergency  hospital,  177 
Employees, 

classification    for    estimating    em- 
ployment costs,  420 

co-operative  associations,  354 

discharges,  suspensions,  and  trans- 
fer, 71-74 

foreign-born,  121-134 

group  insurance,  357-368 

health  and  hygiene,  165-173 

lunchrooms,  275-290 

morale  among,  69-86 

mutual  benefit  associations,   339- 
356 


Employees — Continued 

record  card,  Figure,  512-513 

recreation,  208-221 

stock  participation,  356 

suggestions  from,  259-274 

trained,  94 
Employees'   magazine     (See   "Plant 

newspaper") 
Employees,  new,  47 

adjustment  to  job,  95 

^nstructions  for,  48 

interviewing,  48 

labor  turnover  among,  47 

training,  92 

Employees'  service  department, 
Figures,  29,  31,  33,  38,  39 

activities  of,  52 

Bethlehem  Shipbuilding  Corpora- 
tion, 28 

budget,  54 

L.  Candee  Co.,  28 

conferences,  44 

co-operation  of  employee  and  em- 
ployer by,  22 

correlation   with   employment   de- 
partment, 6 1 

Edison  Thomas  A.,  Inc.,  37 

files  and  records,  43 

functions,  26-41 

Hood  Rubber  Co.,  28 

office  organization,  42 

organization,  26-55 

place  in  industry,  19-25 

place  in  plant,  26-41 

planning  a  program  for,  47 

plant  newspaper,  300 

Plimpton  Press,  31 

real  estate  bureau  and  room  regis- 
try, 333 

size,  42 

special  studies  and  reports,  45 

table  showing  effect  ot  sendee  work, 
Figure,  40 

terminology,  32 

value  of,  20 


520 


INDEX 


Employees'  service  manager,  duties 

and  qualifications,  56-68 
Employment, 
costs,  421 
functions    or    employees'     service 

department,  28 
meaning  of  term,  32 
of  working  force,  4 
Employment     department,     correla- 
tion   with    employees'      service 
department,  61 

Employment      management,      War 
Emergency  Training  Course  at 
University     of     Rochester,     26 
Employment  manager, 
accessible  to  employees,  44 
duties  of,  62 
Endicott- Johnson  Co.,  profit-sharing 

plan,  383 

England     (See  "Great  Britain") 
English  for  foreigners,  135-147 
English  language, 
classes, 

American  Rolling  Mill  Co.,  144 
Bethlehem  Steel  Corp.,  137,  140 
L.  Candee  and  Co.,  145 
Carnegie  Steel  Co.,  146 
Chester  Shipbuilding  Co.,  143 
Ford  Motor  Co.,  142 
Goodyear  Rubber  Co.,  143 
Hamilton  Mills,  145 
Norton  Co.,  145 
Organization,  136 
D.  E.  Sicher  and  Co.,  135 
Willard  Storage  Battery  Co.,  144 
methods  of  teaching,  135-147 
results  of  teaching,  146 
Europe,  accidents  in,  168 
Examinations,  physical    (See  "Med- 
ical examinations") 
Examining  room  of  medical  depart- 
ment, 1 80 

Executive  board  of  employees'  ser- 
vice department,  30-31 
Eye  treatment,  200 


F 

Fairbanks  Morse  Co.,  housing  plan, 

322 

Farnum,  Dr.  C.  G.,  194 
Farquhar      Beneficial      Association, 
PennsylvaniaAgriculturalWorks, 
353 

Federal  Board  for  Vocational  Educa- 
tion, Washington,  D.  C.,  119 
Festivals     (See  "Pageants  and  festi- 
vals") 

Filene's,  William  Sons  Co., 
dramatic  society,  233 
training  system,  116 
Files,  43 
Filing-room  of  medical   department, 

180 
Financial  aids, 

to  employees,  mutual  benefit  asso- 
ciations, 338-356 
Financing  plant  newspaper,  303 
Firestone  Tire  and  Rubber  Co., 
discharge  regulations,  71 
housing  plan,  330 
First  aid  in  illness  and  injury,  65 
"First-aid  room,"  177 

British     government's     require- 
ments for,   190 
First  aid,  training  in,  206 
Fisher,  Boyd,  7 
Fisk    Rubber    Co.,     Fisk    Bulletin, 

299 

Flint  Vehicle  Factories,  mutual  bene- 
fit association,  340,  353 
Food,  importance  of  good,  276 
Food  values,  table  of,  289 
Ford  English  School,   142 
Ford  Motor  Co., 
brass  band,  229 
labor  turnover,  7 

Fore  River  Plant,  Bethlehem  Ship- 
building Corporation  (See 
"Bethlehem  Shipbuilding  Cor- 
poration") 


INDEX 


521 


Foreign-born, 

Americanization  census,  156 

attitude  toward,  124 

influence  upon  industry,  121 

plant  newspapers  for,  299 

recreation,  217 
Foremen, 

attitude  toward  foreign-born,  126 

duties  and  qualifications,  80 

plant  newspaper  for,  297 

responsibility  for  safety,  242,  433, 

439 

Frick,  H.  C.  Coke  Co.,  Americani- 
zation work,  153 


Gardens  for  employees,  400 

Gary,  Ind.,  housing  plan,  U.  S.  Steel 

Corporation,  330 
General  Electric  Co., 

housing  plan,  333 

mutual  benefit  associations,  353 

training  system,  118 
General  Fireproofing  Co.,  Americani- 
zation work,  156 

General    manager,    relation    to    em- 
ployees' service  department,  38 
General  Motors  Corporation, 

housing  plan,  325 

hotel  club  for  men,  332 
Gilman,  N.  P.,  376 
Girls     (See  "Women  and  girls") 
Glee  clubs,  230-233 
Good- will  of  workers,  12,  69-86 
Goodrich,  B.  F.  Rubber  Co., 

bureau  of  education,  132 

industrial  relations  department,  35 
Goodyear  Tire  and  Rubber  Co., 

Americanization  work,  148 

English  classes,  143 

housing  plan,  330 

labor  department,  36 

recreation  work,  226 

training  system,  no 
Gould,  Ernest  C.,  60 


Government  aid  in  Americanization, 

161,   162 

Gray,  William  and  Co.,  profit-shar- 
ing plan,  383 
Great  Britain, 

first-aid  room  requirements,  190 
Health     of     Munitions     Workers 

Committee,  63 
housing  plans,  307,  332 
welfare  work  in,  16,  63 
Greenfield  Tap  and  Die  Corporation, 

plant  newspaper,  295 
Grieves,  A.  W.,  4 

Group   insurance     (See   "Insurance, 
group") 


Hall-Scott   Motor   Car   Co.,   profit- 
sharing  plan,  382 

Hamilton  Mills,  English  classes,  145 
Hamilton,  Ohio,  housing  report,  313 
Hamilton  Watch  Co.,  lunchroom,  281 
Hammond,  W.  J.,  204 
Harvard  University,  Medical  School, 

184 

Harvey,  Dr.  A.  M.,  179 
Haskell  and  Baker  Car  Co.,  accidents, 

240 
Health  and  hygiene, 

advantages  in  industry,  165 
effect  of  good  housing,  318 
lunchroom   and   restaurants,   275- 

290 

of  employees,  165-173 
standards  of,  170 
Health  campaigns,  205 
Health  department     (See   "Medical 

department") 

Health  of  Munitions  Workers  Com- 
mittee, Great  Britain,  290 
recommendations,  63-67 
Hercules    Powder    Co.,    suggestion 

system,  273 

Hiring        (See    "Labor    turnover," 
"Employment") 


522 


INDEX 


Hog  Island  Shipyard,  labor  turnover, 
8 

Homestead     Association,     American 
Woolen  Co.,  322 

Hood  Rubber  Co.,   employees'   ser- 
vice department,  28 

Hopedale,  Mass.,  housing  plan,  Dra- 
per Co.,  331 

Hospitals,  emergency,  177 
equipment,  178 

Hospitals,  industrial,  177 

Hotels,  General  Motors  Corporation, 
hotel  for  men  employees,  332 

House    organ     (See    "Plant    news- 
papers") 

Housing    corporations,    organization 
and  management,  334 

Housing  of  immigrants,  130 

Housing  plans, 

American  Civic  Association  studies, 

307 

American  Woolen  Co.,  321 

Amoskeag  Manufacturing  Co.,  321 

and  labor  turnover,  306,  310 

Bethlehem,  Pa.,  312 

Bethlehem  Shipbuilding  Corpora- 
tion, 333 

Bridgeport,  311 

Clark  Equipment  Co.,  324 

Cleveland,  Ohio,  312 

Fairbanks  Morse  Co.,  322 

Firestone  Tire  and  Rubber  Co.,  330 

General  Electric  Co.,  333 

General  Motors  Corporation,  325 

Goodyear  Rubber  Co.,  330 

Great  Britain,  307,  332 

Hamilton,  Ohio,  313 

in  peace  time,  317 

in  war  time,  307,  309 

Indianapolis,  Ind.,  313 

industrial,  306-338 

Nelson  Co.,  331 

Norton  Co.,  331 

real  estate  bureau,  333 

room  registry,  333 


Housing  plans — Continued 
special  types,  321-338 
suggestions  for  solution,  319 
Talbot  Mills,  328 

United  States  Chamber  of   Com- 
merce, 334 
United  States  Steel  Corp.,  Gary, 

Ind.,  330 

Howard,  Clarence  H.,  75^ 
Hunt,  E.  B.,  344 

Huyck,  F.  C.  and  Sons,  mutual  bene- 
fit association,  350 
Hydraulic    Pressed    Steel    Co.,  Hy- 
draulic Press,  299 

Hygiene     (See     "Health     and     hy- 
giene ") 


Indianapolis,  Ind.,  report  of  United 

States  Housing  Corporation,  313 

Industrial       Americanization       (See 

' '  Americanization ' ') 
Industrial  clinic,  177 
Industrial  communities,  390-409 
Industrial  housing,  306-338 
Industrial  hygiene    (See  "Health  and 

hygiene") 
Industrial  medicine,  171 

course    of    study,    University    of 

Cincinnati,  185 
Harvard  University,  184 
Industrial  physicians     (See  "Physi- 
cian, industrial") 
Industrial  relations,  69-86 
Industrial  relations  department,  35 
B.  F.  Goodrich  Rubber  Co.,  35 
Goodyear  Tire  and  Rubber  Co.,  36 
International  Harvester  Co.,  35 
Merchant    Shipbuilding    Corpora- 
tion, 35 

Industrial  relations  manager,  4 1 
Industrial  training, 
advantages,  87,  94 
aids  to,  119 
aims,  88 


INDEX 


523 


Industrial  training — Continued 
Brown  and  Sharpe  Co.,  106 
equipment,  102 

William  Filene's  Sons  Co.,  116 
Goodyear  Rubber  Co.,  no 
history,  89 

instructors,  qualifications  of,  IOI 
Larkin  &  Co.,  109 
Merchant  Shipbuilding  Co.,  119 
methods,  101 
need  of,  87 

Packard  Motor  Car  Co.,  114 
Pennsylvania  Railroad  Co.,  104 
reduces  labor  turnover,  94 
shop  and  school,  correlation,  102 
D.  E.  Sicher  &  Co.,  148 
Simonds  Manufacturing  Co.,  109 
systems,  104-120 
War  emergency  training,  100 
Western  Electric  Co.,  in 
Industry,  social  aspects,  390-409 
Instructions  for  new  employees,  48 
Insurance, 

group,  357-368 

American  Woolen  Co.,  365 

as  a  stabilizing  force,  New  York 
Shipbuilding  Corporation,  364 

DuPont  Co.,  364 

policy,  366 

principles  and  organization,  361- 
368 

special  plans,  361-368 
legislative  control,  359 
mutual, 

benefit  to  employees,  360 

emp-oyers  aid  to,  359 

scope,  in  industry,  358 
International  Harvester  Co., 
accidents,  240 
foremen  meetings,  83 
industrial    relat.ons     department, 

35 
International     Silver     Co.,     service 

rewards,  373 
Interviewing  new  employees,  48 


James,  William,  209 

"Psychology,  Briefer  Course,"  102 
Jeffrey  Manufacturing  Co.,  4 

lunchroom,  281 
Job  adjuster,  96 
Job  analysis,  95 
Joseph  and  Feiss  Co., 

English  classes,  147 

lunchrooms,  281 
Juhneke,  P.  B.,  450 


Kelly,  R.  W.,  "Training  the  Indus- 
trial Worker,"  103,  119 

Kindergartens,  401 

Joseph  Bancroft  and  Sons,  401 

King,  J.  MacKenzie,  "Industry  and 
Humanity,"  12,  166 


Labor  department     (See  "Industrial 

relations  department") 
Labor  stability  report,  Figure,  412- 

415 

Labor  turnover, 
among  new  employees,  47 
basic  factors,  3,  411,  416 
caused  by  dissatisfaction,  statistics, 

82 

cloak  and  suit  industry,  8 
cost,  10 

costs,  computing,  42 
Detroit,  7 

effect  of  housing  on,  306,  310 
elimination,  n 
Ford  Motor  Co.,  7 
Hog  Island  Shipyard,  8 
labor  stability  report,  Figure,  412- 

415 

metal  industry,  4 
methods  of  reducing,  47,  94 
Milwaukee,  9 
percentage,  computing,  417 


524 


INDEX 


La  or  turnover — Continued 

recording  methods,  410-420 

reducing  by  training,  94 

relation  to  wages,  23 

shipbuilding  industry,  8 

Southern  Pacific  Railway  Co.,  8 

statistics,  4 

street  railway  companies,  6 

waste  in,  4 
Labor  unions,  opposition  to  welfare 

work,  15 

Laboratory  of  medical  room,  181 
Lake  Torpedo  Boat  Co., 

"Labor  Efficiency  Bulletins,"  84 

marine  band,  229 
Lane,  Franklin  K.,  159 

"What  America  Means,"  123 
Larkin  Co.,  Ourselves,  294 

training  system,  109 
Lawrence,  Mass., 

housing    plan,    American    Woolen 

Co.,  321 
Leclaire,   111.,    housing  plan,  Nelson 

Co.,  333 

Lee,  Dr.  Frederic  S.,  209 
Lee,  Gerald  Stanley,  80 
Libraries, 

plant,  216 

public,   in   Americanization  work, 

162 

Link,  Henry  C.,  95 
Lipman,  Dr.  W.  H.,  179 
Little,  Dr.  L.  Z.,  179 
Lost  time, 

due  to  accidents,  246 

due  to  ill  health,  167 
Lunchrooms,  275-290 

Joseph  Bancroft  and  Sons  Co.,  282 

benefits,  276 

Cleveland  Worsted  Mills  Co.,  281 

Commonwealth  Steel  Co.,  279 

cost,  283 

Curtis  Publishing  Co.,  278 

equipment,  286 

Hamilton  Watch  Co.,  281 


Lunchrooms — Continued 
Jeffrey  Manufacturing  Co.,  281 
Joseph  and  Feiss  Co.,  281 
menus,  288 

method  of  service  in,  284 
National  Cash  Register  Co.,   278 
commissary     department,     Fig- 
ure, 280 

National  Lamp  Association,  279 
Ohio  Malleable  Steel  Co.,  282 
percentage  of  employees  using, .282 
Pierce- Arrow  Motor  Car  Co.,  277 
policy,  277 

report  of  British  Ministry  of  Muni- 
tions, 276 
requirements,  285 
Southern  Flour  Mills,  281 
United  Shoe  Machinery  Co.,  281 

M 

McCormick,  Harold,  147 

McElwain,  W.  H.  Co.,  Americaniza- 
tion work,  153 

MacGregor,  D.  H.  "Evolution  of 
Industry,"  23 

Magazines  for  employees  (See 
"Plant  newspapers") 

Maine,  housing  plan,  323 

Mallory,  E.  A.  and  Sons,  wage  bo- 
nuses, 374 

Managers, 

attitude  toward  suggestions,    260 
of  plant  newspapers,  303 
qualifications  of,  167 

Manchester,  N.  H.,  housing  plan, 
Amoskeag  Manufacturing  Co., 
321 

Marshall,  Alfred,  93 

Massachusetts,  accidents  in,  168 

Massachusetts,  Department  of  Uni- 
versity Extension,  Americani- 
zation work,  163 

Massachusetts  Homestead  Com- 
mission, 406 


INDEX 


525 


Mechanical      trade      training     (See 
"Shop  work") 

Medical  department,  65,  174-190 
American  Cast  Iron  Pipe  Co.,  190 
American  Rolling  Mill  Co.,  144,  189 
Bethlehem   Shipbuilding  Corpora- 
tion, 179 

Eastman  Kodak  Co.,  172 
equipment  and  location,  179 
functions,  174,  191 
personnel,  183 
relation  to  plant,  175 
Standard  Oil  Co.,  188 

Medical  examinations,  191-197 
A  very  Co.,  194 
Western  Electric  Co.,  192 

Meetings  for  safety,  252 

Merchant  Shipbuilding   Corporation, 

36 

community  service  work,  399 
industrial  relations  department,  35 
News-Compass,  294,  295,  297 
training  system,  119 

Metal  industry,  labor  turnover,  4 

Metropolitan    Life    Insurance    Co., 
Glee  Club,  232 

Miller  Lock  Co.,  housing  plan,  333 

Milwaukee  Coke  and  Gas  Co.,  acci- 
dents, 241 

Milwaukee,  labor  turnover,  9 

Mining  industry,  recreation  work,  219 

Minnequa  Steel  Works,  brass  band, 
229 

Mock,  Dr.  Harry  E.,  179,  182 

Monthly  Labor  Review,  314 

Morale     (See  "Plant  spirit") 

Morey,  Arthur  T.,  237 

Morris  and  Co.,  profit-sharing  plan, 

383 
Morse  Dry  Dock  and  Repair  Co., 

Dry  Dock  Dial,  295 
Mortgages     (See   "Housing  plans") 
Motion  pictures,  219 

in  Americanization  work,  151 
Mulligan,  J.  R.,  140 


Munition  industry,  housing  problem, 

307 

Music,  221,  227 
brass  bands,  227 
community  singing,  404 
Musical  associations,  231 
Mutual     benefit     associations     (See 

1 '  Benefit  associations ' ' ) 
Mutual  insurance     (See  "Insurance, 
mutual") 


National  Americanization  Committee, 

122,  139,  156 

National     Americanization     Confer- 
ence, 1919,  136 

National  Cash  Register  Co.,  205 
commissary    department,    Figure, 

280 

community  service  work,  395 
dental  clinic,  199 
lunchroom,  278,  280 
N.  C.  R.  News,  300 
recreation  work,  225 
suggestion  system,  269 
National  Employment  Managers'  As- 
sociation, 417 

National  Housing  Association,  318 
National  Lamp  Association,   lunch- 
room, 279 
National    Organization    for     Public 

Health  Nursing,  201 
National  Safety  Council,    184,  238, 

241,  245,  253,  448 
National    Tuberculosis    Association, 

424 
Nationality, 

census  of  employees,  156 
survey  blank  for  census,  158 
Naturalization,  Delaware,  159     (See 
also    "Americanization,"    and 
"Citizenship") 
Nelson,  N.  O.,  Co., 
housing  plan,  331 
profit-sharing  plan,  375,  388 


INDEX 


New  England  Telephone  Co.,  Tele- 
phone Topics,  295 

New  Jersey  Zinc  Co.,  brass  bands,  230 

New  workers  (See  "Employees, 
new") 

New  York  Edison  Co.,  restrooms,  205 

New  York  Shipbuilding  Corporation, 
group  insurance,  364 

New  York  State  Industrial  Com- 
mission, plan  of  safety  organiza- 
tion, 430 

New  York  Telephone  Co.,  Tele- 
phone R  view,  295 

News-Compos,  Merchant  Ship-build- 
ing Corporation,  294,  295,  297 

Night  schools,  146 

Nolan,  John,  320,  334 

Noon-hour  meetings,  151 

Northern  Connecticut  Light  and 
Power  Co.,  suggestion  system, 

273 

Northwestern  Steel  Co.,  brass  band, 

229 
Norton  Grinding  Co., 

community  service  work,  397 

English  classes,  145 

housing  plan,  331 
Nurses,  industrial,  184,  186,  200 

training  course,  Boston  University, 

187 
Nurses,  visiting, 

duties  and  qualifications,  200 

training,  203 


Office  of  medical  department,  180 

Office  organization,  42 

Office  training,   100 

Ohio  Industrial  Commission,  238 

Ohio  Malleable  Steel  Co.,  cafeteria, 
282 

Olmsted,  F.  L.,  314 

Ourselves,  Larkin  Co.,  294 

Owen,  Robert,  "History  of  Co-opera- 
tion," 14 


Pacific  Gas  and  Electric  Co.,  acci- 
dents, 240 

Packard   Employees'   Paper,    294 
Packard  Motor  Car  Co., 

group  insurance,  364 

"labor  maintenance  efficiency, "  84 

restrooms,  204 

training  system,  114 
Pageants  and  festivals,  396 
Parks,  220 
Pay  envelopes, 

use  in  Americanization  work,  153, 
156 

use  in  safety  work,  254 
Pennsylvania     Agricultural     Works, 
Farquhar  Beneficial  Association, 

353 

Pennsylvania   Coal   and    Coke   Co., 

Americanization  work,  153 
Pennsylvania  Railroad  Co., 

Mutual  Benefit  Association,  344 

recreation  work,  225 

training  system,  104 
Pensions,  369-373 

American  Smelting  and  Refining 
Co.,  369 

American  Sugar  Refining  Co.,  370 

Bell  Telephone  Co.,  372 

Cheney  Brothers,  497-501 

Solvay  Process  Co.,  369 
Personnel    department     (See    "Em- 
ployees'   service    department") 
Photographs,    in   plant    newspapers, 

294 

Physical  examinations    (See  "Med- 
ical examinations") 
Physical  training,  206 

White  Co.,  206 
Physicians,  industrial, 

as  employees'  service  managers,  62 

compensation,  18.4 

duties  and  qualifications,  171 

training  of,  183 


INDEX 


527 


Pierce- Arrow  Motor  Car  Co., 
Glee  Club,  230 
lunchroom,  277 

Plant  census, 

Americanization  census  card,   156 
in  Americanization  work,  156 
nationality  survey  blank,  158 

Plant  library,  in  the  recreation  plan, 
216 

Plant  maintenance,  1 1 

Plant  newspapers,  291-305 
Greenfield  Tap  and  Die  Corpora- 
tion, 295 

in  Americanization  work,  153 
value  of  those  of  other  concerns,  46 

Plant  spirit,  69-86 

by  Americanization,  129 

Play     (See  "Recreation") 

Playgrounds,  214,  401 

U.  S.  Steel  Corporation,  224,  401 

Plimpton  Press, 

co-operative  bank,  355 
employees'  service  department,  31 

Powell,  Joseph  W.,  80 

Price,  C.  W.,  238 

Price,  Dr.  George  M.,  18,  424 

Prize  contests,  for  suggestions,  271 

Proctor  and  Gamble  Co., 
Moonbeams,  299 
profit-sharing,  375 

Production,  plant  newspapers  as  aid 
to,  292 

Profit-sharing, 

association  for  promotion  of,  376 
A.  W.  Burritt  Co.,  379 
William  Gray  and  Co.,  383 
Hall-Scott  Motor  Car  Co.,  382 
history  and  principles,  375-389 
Morris  and  Co.,  383 
N.  O.  Nelson  Co.,  375,  388 
profit-and-loss     sharing     contract, 

38o 

Sears,  Roebuck  and  Co.,  385 
Solvay  Process  Co.,  384 

Promotions,  78 


Proud,  E.  Dorothea,  18 

Public  Libraries,  in  Americanization 

work,  162 
Public  Schools,  co-opeiration  with  in 

teaching  foreign-born,  145 
Pullman  Co.,  14 
accidents,  240 


Real  estate  bureau,  for  housing,  333 
Records, 

for  accidents,  246 

methods  of  keeping,  43 

of  employees,  67 
Recreation,  208-235 

advantages,  214 

and  Americanization,  217-218 

and  working  power,  209 

Bush  Terminal,  225 

Colorado  Fuel  and  Iron  Co.,  223 

Goodyear  Rubber  Co.,  226 

National  Cash  Register  Co.,  225 

need  of,  208 

organized,  211 

Pennsylvania    Railroad    Co.,    225 

Sears,  Roebuck  and  Co.,  226 

self -directed,  215 

United  States  Steel   Corporation, 
224,  401 

Wagner    Electric     Manufacturing 

Co.,  222 

Recreation  director,  duties,  215 
Redfield,  William,  C.,  3 
Relief  funds     (See  "Benefit  associa- 
tions") 
Remington  Arms  Co.,  117 

apprentice  agreement,  452 

housing  plan,  333 
Reports, 

forms  for,  45 

labor  stability,  Figure,  412-415 
Restrooms,  65,  219 

medical  department,  182 

women's,  203 
Restaurants     (See  "Lunchrooms") 


528 


INDEX 


Rewards,  373 

Robbins  and  Myers  Co.,  R  and  M 

Co-operator,  295 
Rochester  University,  26 
Room  registry,  333 
Rosenwald,  Julius,  on  profit-sharing, 

387 

Rowntree,  B.  Seebohm,  63 
Rubinow,  I.  M.,  "Social  Insurance," 

168,  358 
Rulebooks,  50 

S 

Safety,  236-258 
Avery  Co.,  256 
campaigns  for,  254 
committees,  243,  248,  432 
creating  interest  in,  252,  449 
Eastman  Kodak  Co.,  248 
eye  protection,  200 
literature,  446 
meetings,  252,  438 
organization  charts,  Figure,  249-2  50 
organization  plan,  242-257,  430-450 
United   States  Steel  Corporation, 

241,  251,  259 
Safety  engineer, 
duties  of,  244,  436 

Figure,  245 

St.  Helena,  Md.,  housing  plan,  316 
Saks  &  Company,  hotel  for  women, 

332 

San  Diego  Consolidated  Gas  and 
Electric  Co.,  stock  participation 
plan,  356 

Sanitary  standards,  National  Coun- 
cil of  Defense,  424 
Sanitation,  66 
Savings,  aids  to,  339 
Savings   funds,   Westinghouse   Elec- 
tric and  Manufacturing  Co.,  355 
Sawyer,  Dr.  William  A.,  421,  423 
Schools, 

apprenticeship,  98 
medical,  184 


Schwab,  Charles  M.,  80,  82 
Schwartzenbach-Huber   Co.,   Ameri- 
canization work,    125 
Scovill    Manufacturing    Co.,  Ameri- 
canization work,  153 
Sears,  Roebuck  and  Co., 
first-aid  training,  206 
musical  associations,  231 
profit-sharing  plan,  385 
recreation  work,  226 
Selby,  Dr.,  175,  186,  206 
Service,  meaning  of  term,  34 
Service  rewards,  373 
Service     work      (See     "Employees' 

service  department") 
Shefferman,   N.    W.,    "Employment 

Methods,"  95 
Sherwin-Williams    Co.,     Chameleon, 

295 

Shipbuilding  industry, 

labor  turnover  in,  8 

training  systems,  118 
Shopwork,  training,  99 
Shower  baths,  207 
Sicher,  D.  E.  Co., 

educational  plan,  148 

English  classes,  135 
Sick  benefit  associations     (See  "Ben- 
efit associations") 

Simonds  Manufacturing  Co.,  train- 
ing system,  109 
Slogans,  for  safety  work,  255 
Smith-Hughes  Act,  1 19 
Solvay  Process  Co., 

Americanization  work,  161 

pensions,  369 

profit-sharing  plan,  384 
South  Billerica,  Mass.,  housing  plan. 

Talbot  Mills,  328 

Southern  Flour  Mill,  lunchroom,  281 
Southern  Pacific  Railway  Co.,  labor 

turnover,  8 
Speed-up,  294 

Spitz    and    Stern,    "Food    for    the 
Worker,"  290 


INDEX 


529 


Standard  Oil  Co., 

Lamp,  295 

medical  department,  188 
Standards,  sanitary,  424 
Statistics,  labor  turnover,  4 
Steel    industry,    accident    frequenc 

rates,  Figure,  239 
Stock,  participation  plan,  350 
Strawbridge     and     Clothier     Store, 

choral  society,  233 

Street  railway  companies,  labor  turn- 
over, 6 
Suggestions,  259-274 

awards  for,  267,  271 

blanks  for,  264 

Commonwealth  Edison  Co.,  274 

creating  interest  in,  262 

from  plant  newspapers,  46 

handling  of,  271 

Hercules  Powder  Co.,  273 

National  Cash  Register  Co.,  269 

Northern  Connecticut   Light  and 

Power  Co.,  273 
Surgical  room  of  medical  department, 

181 
Suspension  of  employees,  regulations, 

7i 

Swift  and  Company,  pensions,  370 
Syracuse    Chamber    of    Commerce, 

Americanization  work,  163 


Talbot  Mills,  housing  plan,  328 
Teachers,  training  to  teach  English, 

137 

Terminology  of  employment,  32 
Trade    education     (See    "Industrial 

training") 

Training  (See  "Industrial  training") 
Training  course  in  employment  man- 
agement, Rochester  University, 
26 

Transfer  of  employees,  regulations,  71 
Tucker,  Dr.  George  C.,  177 


Turnover,  labor     (See  "Labor  turn- 
over") 

+  U 

Unemploy  m  ent , 
causes  of,  169 

due  to  accidents  and  illness,  1 68 
United  Shoe  Machinery  Co., 
brass  band,  229 
lunchrooms,  281 
United     States     Bureau     of     Labor 

Statistics,  417 

United   States   Cartridge   Co.,   acci- 
dents, 240 

United  States  Chamber  of  Commerce, 
Americanization  work,  163 
housing  plan,  334 
housing  studies,  307 
United  States  Department  of  Labor, 

55 
Bureau  of  Industrial  Housing  and 

Transportation,  310 
United  States  Housing  Corporation, 

307,  309 

housing  reports,  311 
United   States  Metal  Refining   Co., 

Americanization  work,  151 
United  States  Public  Health  Service, 
"Studies    of    the    Medical    and 
Surgical  Care  of  Industrial  Work- 
ers," 175 
United  States  Rubber  Co., 

Americanization  committee,  128 
training  system,  92 
United      States      Shipping      Board, 
Emergency    Fleet    Corporation, 
housing  at  St.  Helena,  Md.,  316 
United  States  Steel  Corporation, 
brass  bands  and  choruses,  231 
community  service  work,  393 
housing  plan,  330 
playgrounds    and     kindergartens, 

224,  401 

recreation  work,  224 
safety  work,  241,  251,  254 
stock  participation  plan,  356 


530 


INDEX 


University  Extension,  Massachusetts, 

Department  of,  163 
University  of  Cincinnat-',  College  of 

Medicine,  184 


Victor  Talking  Machine  Co.,  group 
insurance,  363 

Visiting  committee,  Bridgeport  Brass 
Co.,  benefit  association,  348 

Visiting  nurses  (See  "Nurses,  visit- 
ing") 

W 

Wages, 

adequate  necessary,  339 

relation  to  labor  turnover,  23 
Wagner  Electric  Manufacturing  Co., 

recreation  work,  222 
Waiting-room,    medical  department 

180 

Waller,  H.  T.,  132 

Walpole  Town  Planning  Committee, 
"Town  Planning  for  Small  Com- 
munities," 404 

Waltham  Watch  Co.,  brass  band,  229 
Wanamaker,  John,  educational  work 

of,  115 
War, 

emergency  training,  100 

housing  planning  during,  307 
Welfare  supervisors,  16,  62 
Welfare  work, 

attitude  of  labor  towards,  16 

cause  of  failure,  14 

criticism  of,  14 

objections  to  term,  19 
Western  Electric  Co., 

medical  examinations,  192 

training  system,  1 1 1 

Western  Electric  News,  295 


Westinghouse    Electric    and    Manu- 
facturing Co., 
first-aid  training,  206 
lunchroom,  281 
savings  fund,  355 
training  system,  118 
White  Co.,  physical  training,  206 
White  Motor  Co., 

Employees'   Sick  Benefit   Society, 

349 

White  B  ok,  295 
Wigmore,  John  H.,  168 
Willard  Storage  Battery  Co.,  English 

classes,  144 

Winchester    Repeating    Arms    Co., 
safety  engineer's  duties,  Figure, 
245 
Women  and  girls,  working  conditions, 

64 

Women,  restrooms  for,  203 
Wood,  Edith  Elmer,  Housing  Better- 
ment, 323 

Woolwich  Joint  Committee  of  Trades 
and  Labour  Council,  statement, 

17 

Worcester,    Massachusetts,    housing 

plan,  Norton  Co.,  331 
Working  conditions,  22,  64 
Working  force, 
cost  of  hiring,  5 
maintenance  of,  4 
Workman's  compensation,  240 
Works   manager,      relation   to    em- 
ployees' service  department,  38 


Young  Men's  Christian  Association, 

120,  223 
Youngstown   Sheet  and   Tube   Co., 

industrial  relations  department, 

35 


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